With You 2
by Draven Star
Summary: Sequel to With You. Leia, Padme, and Tara try to turn Vader and Luke back to good. Another of my older stories that isn't good, and has some grammar and spelling mistakes.
1. Chapter One: Welcome Back

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Star Wars and the characters from the books and movies. George Lucas does.  
  
-- Since this is a SEQUEL, you obviously need to read With You first, before starting this one. Thoughts are inside { } marks.   
  
-- And again, this is an AU, so DON'T leave me a lot of bad reviews correcting everything that's "wrong" in my story.  
  
== Chapter One ==  
  
Padme peeked through the window one more time before sighing closing the black curtains again. Behind her, Leia and Tara were sitting on one of the scarlet couches in the living room.  
  
"They're going to be home soon," Tara said quietly.  
  
Padme nodded. "We should probably start cooking something."  
  
Leia remained silent. She was staring down at the floor, most likely thinking about Han. If she didn't occassionally let out a melancholy sigh, Tara wondered if she should reach over and gently touch her big sister's shoulder, or hug her, to make sure she wasn't dead. It seemed ridiculous, but sometimes Leia could look so pale and still, with her sad, brown eyes open, that she did appear lifeless.  
  
"Leia," said Tara, "I know that Han thinks about you as much as you think about him."  
  
"Tara!" Padme said, not wanting Leia to be more depressed.  
  
"It's true," Tara said, looking at Leia, who quietly nodded.  
  
It had been almost three months since Luke had turned to the Dark Side, joining Darth Vader, and they had taken over everything after defeating Emperor Palpatine. Although Vader was mysteriously healed now - he looked like his old self, with no scars or injuries - he still wore his armor whenever he and Luke were working.  
  
Leia now understood why, those three months ago, Luke had told her to go with Han and Chewbacca while he and Tara went to see Vader and Padme. He'd instructed her not to tell him where she and Han were planning to go. It was so that if he happened to turn, as he had, then he wouldn't know where to look for her. Of course, that had been useless. Luke, the new dark Luke, had tracked Leia down in less than two days. Luckily, Han and Chewbacca had been able to flee on the Millenium Falcon, despite how badly Han had wanted to take Leia with him. Leia knew it wouldn't have worked. Her presence in the Force was strong, and she was only endangering Han. For now, he was safest if he was away from her.  
  
When Han finally, stubbornly agreed, Leia had even used Luke's trick. She told Han to not tell her where he and Chewbacca were going to go. That way, Luke and Vader couldn't read her mind and find out. Han understood, but he had done one last thing before leaving Leia. He'd asked her to marry him once they were safely together again. Leia had accepted, of course, and she couldn't care less that Han didn't have a ring to give her. She couldn't have worn it very much, anyway. So far, only Tara and Padme seemed to know about the engagement. If Vader or Luke had read Leia's mind and found out, then they hadn't said anything about it.  
  
"I'll help you," Tara said to Padme, bringing Leia back to the present. She went into the kitchen to help Padme cook. After a moment or two, Leia joined them.  
  
They were cooking bantha steak, along with some kind of pasta that was covered in a light-blue sauce. Tara noticed Padme and Leia staring at it.  
  
"It looks sick, but it's really good. Trust me," she assured them.  
  
Padme nodded. "Light blue. That would be a nice color for your bridesmaids, Leia."  
  
Tara looked at Leia. "Please don't make me and the other bridesmaids wear those huge, hideous dresses..."  
  
Leia nodded silently, and then she even made a faint smile. Padme and Tara always talked about her wedding as if it were already happily planned and happening next week. She knew that they were only doing that to try and make her feel better, but she appreciated it.  
  
--------------------  
  
Darth Vader and Luke arrived about half-an-hour later. Luke was still called Luke; his father hadn't given him any kind of new Sith name.  
  
Padme hugged Vader tightly, and he softly touched her cheek for a moment, but didn't do much more. He had missed her, even though he didn't say so aloud. He and Luke had been away for the past week.  
  
When he, Padme, and Luke entered the dining room, Tara barely made any eye contact with Vader, which he was used to. She had always been nervous and frightened around him, even after learning that he was her father.  
  
Tara still served as Vader's agent whenever he needed her to, and she suspected that, not long from now, either Luke or Vader would probably try to begin training her. She was aware that she was Force-strong, of course, since Luke had told her, but she still didn't know about how to use it or feel it.  
  
"Hi," Leia said softly to Luke and Vader.  
  
"You're actually talking," Luke replied. Leia looked at him for a moment, looking more hurt than annoyed, and said nothing.  
  
--------------------  
  
An hour or so later, Tara was in her room, sitting on her bed and painting her fingernails with black polish. She didn't feel very tired.  
  
There was a door that connected her room and Luke's, which was right next door. Leia's bedroom was upstairs, along with Vader and Padme's room. Despite Darth Vader and Luke being...dark...Tara was glad that the five of them all lived together. They were family, after all. The only member that was missing was Leia's husband-to-be.  
  
Tara glanced at the door to Luke's room. The lights appeared to be on. After blowing on her nails once or twice to make the polish dry, she went over to the door and softly knocked. After a moment, Luke opened the door.  
  
"Can I come in?" Tara asked softly. She paused, and added. "I can't sleep. I want to talk to you."  
  
"About what?" Luke asked.  
  
Tara shrugged, a little nervously. "Anything. I haven't seen you in a week."  
  
Luke didn't reply, but let her in.  
  
Tara remembered when Luke and Padme had been talking, months ago, about trying to turn Darth Vader back into Anakin Skywalker. Seeing Luke, she now understood why they had been able to refer to Anakin as almost a completely seperate person (though they truly believed he was still alive inside Vader, somewhere). Luke was so different now. The warm, friendly aurora of love and protectiveness that had once strongly radiated from him was totally gone. Tara had mentioned this to Padme once, and she'd nodded, saying that was one thing she'd noticed after Anakin had become Darth Vader.  
  
Tara sat down on the edge of Luke's bed. Softly, she asked, "How did everything go?"  
  
"Well," Luke answered. "Father and I probably need your help in tracking down someone soon."  
  
Tara nodded. "Who?"  
  
"I will tell you when it is necessary."  
  
Tara had half-expected that answer. After a few more quiet, long moments, she sighed and got up. She looked at Luke for a second, but he was turned away from her now. Without saying anything else, she left the room. 


	2. Chapter Two: Mara

-- Author's Note: Mara Jade is NOT the Emperor's Hand in this story.  
  
== Chapter Two ==  
  
The next morning, when Tara went into the living room, only Darth Vader was there. Padme, Luke, and Leia were probably still sleeping. Despite being nervous, Tara hoped that Luke and Vader were not already about to leave again.  
  
She turned around and started to leave, but stopped when Vader said, "Stay."  
  
Tara sat down on the edge of the couch, mostly staring at the floor for a moment. Without looking up at Vader, she said, "Luke told me that you might need me to track someone soon."  
  
"Possibly," Vader said, without elaborating. He sat down next to her.  
  
"You spoke to me much more back when you didn't know I was your father."  
  
Tara finally looked at him, surprised at what he had just said, or that he even cared.  
  
"I'm sorry, Father, I don't intend to..." she paused, not sure what to say next. "I never expected Luke to...you know...join you..."  
  
She wished she hadn't just said that. She, Leia, and Padme never asked Luke why he had suddenly changed his mind and joined Vader. They didn't expect him to explain, or give them any kind of answer.  
  
"Neither did I," Vader admitted.  
  
Tara sighed and tried changing the subject. "Is Mom okay?"  
  
"Yes. She's asleep," answered Vader. He touched a few strands of his daughter's hair. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"I was just wondering." Tara shivered as he touched her hair.  
  
Just then, Luke entered the living room. Tara said nothing to him, doubting that he would respond if she gave him a "good morning". She stood up and left the room. Vader didn't stop her this time.  
  
--------------------  
  
A few minutes before noon, Leia was still sleeping. Luke entered her room, quietly closing the door behind him. As he looked at her, in her bed, he saw that her eyes were open already. She closed them again as soon as he came closer.  
  
"I know you're awake," Luke said, sitting down on the edge of her bed.  
  
"Good morning," Leia said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.  
  
"It's nice to see you, too," Luke said, with equal sarcasm. He reached down and kissed her cheek, surprising her. Her skin felt slightly damp, as if she had just been crying and her tears were not completely dried yet. "Thinking about Han again?"  
  
"Why do you care?" Leia whispered.  
  
"If you would tell Father and I where he and Chewbacca are, then you would be with him sooner."  
  
"I don't know where he is. You know that," said Leia. "I told him not to tell me, so that you and Dad can't read my mind and find out."  
  
"That was wise," Luke replied, not just saying it to tease her.  
  
Leia sighed. "Is there a reason why you came in here?"  
  
Luke didn't answer. Leia's bedroom door opened again, slowly at first. Tara came inside this time.  
  
"Is anyone ever going to knock on the door before coming into my room?" Leia remarked, though she didn't really mean to be mean to Tara. "I could be getting dressed or something."  
  
"It's almost noon. You're usually still asleep at this time," Luke said.  
  
Tara glared at him, just for a second, and he didn't notice. She kneeled down next to Leia's bed.  
  
"I just came in here to see if you're alright," she said softly. "You looked really pale last night."  
  
"She's always pale," said Luke.  
  
"Luke, she's not doing anything to you," Tara said, surprised at her sudden courage. It faded quickly. She quietly added, "I think Dad is looking for you."  
  
Luke left the room without saying another word. Once he was gone, Tara sighed and brushed a few strands of hair out of Leia's face, saying, "I can't believe him."  
  
"Neither can I," Leia said. Slowly sitting up, she added, "I guess I should get up now, though."  
  
Tara made a small smile that Leia probably knew was fake. "Yeah. Mom's in the kitchen. She thought the three of us could eat lunch on the back porch. It's sunny outside."  
  
"Three of us? Where are Dad and Luke going?" asked Leia.  
  
"I think they're going to get parts for one of the speeders, or something," answered Tara. "They'll be back in a couple of hours."  
  
Leia nodded. Despite how Luke sometimes treated her, she still loved him, and she had already accepted that Darth Vader was her father. She, Padme, and Tara never liked it when they left, especially when they were gone for a week or more.  
  
--------------------  
  
Naboo did have some junk shops, although they were much cleaner and friendlier than the ones that Darth Vader and Luke had both known on Tattooine. It was a little amusing to both of them. Here, the the store owners were kind and polite. If you looked or sounded sad and pathetic, they'd feel sorry for you and give you a nice discount on whatever you were trying to buy, or increase your offer on whatever you were trying to sell. They seemed totally unaware that anyone would try to scam them. The dealers on Tattooine knew better.  
  
Inside one of these stores, a flash of red caught Luke's eye. It was the hair of a girl who had just entered the place. She wore a nametag that said MARA, but her shirt had the name of a nearby library, so she probably didn't work in this store.  
  
Luke didn't pay attention to her for more than a second; it was just her red hair that he had noticed momentarily.  
  
============  
  
-- Again, for those of you who didn't read my first Author's Note....Mara Jade is NOT the Emperor's Hand in this story. 


	3. Chapter Three: Never Forget You

== Chapter Three ==  
  
Padme woke up just after midnight. She wasn't sure if she had had a nightmare or not. She couldn't remember. But she was snuggled in Darth Vader's arms, as she had been when they'd fallen asleep, and that instantly made her feel more relieved. She softly kissed his chest - he wasn't wearing a shirt - and although there was only dim moonlight in the room, she stared at the tattoo on his chest for a moment. Even after he'd somehow been healed, or managed to heal himself, he still had the black heart tattoo that said PADMÉ in the center.  
  
For a moment, Padme smiled. The smile faded quickly, though, when a thought suddenly came to her. She wondered if she was ever going to see Anakin again.  
  
Now that Luke had joined the Dark Side - however Vader had convinced him to do so - Padme didn't know how she could ever get Vader to turn back. She had meant it when she'd told still-a-Jedi Luke, a few months ago, that she needed his help.  
  
And she hadn't seen Anakin - except in her memories and dreams - in so long, over twenty years. Leia and Luke were twenty-two now, and Anakin had turned when Padme was still pregnant with them.  
  
She hoped she wouldn't start forgetting Anakin. She didn't want her memories of him to become hazy and fade away.  
  
{ No. That can't ever happen. } she thought, softly kissing Vader's chest again. She was glad that she hadn't started crying; the cold sensation of her tears against Vader's skin would have awoken him.  
  
{ And Anakin will always be alive inside me. }  
  
Padme closed her eyes.  
  
{ And inside our children. }  
  
Less than a few minutes later, she had fallen asleep, feeling safe and more relaxed in Vader's arms.  
  
--------------------  
  
The next morning, Luke went to Leia's room again. She had woken up earlier than usual. She wasn't even in bed when Luke came into the room - again, without knocking first - but already dressed and brushing her hair.  
  
"You look alive," Luke commented.  
  
Leia sighed. "What do you want? You know that I don't know where Han his. I've told you twenty times."  
  
"Good morning," Luke said, ignoring her question completely.  
  
Leia set her hairbrush down on her vanity. After sighing again, she went over to her bed and sat down.  
  
"You know, Luke, I really missed you while you and Father were away this past week. I always do," she said softly. "Why do you hate me?"  
  
"If I hated you, you would not be breathing right now."  
  
"Oh, right. I forgot." Leia suddenly looked tired again. "Luke, would you please do something for me?"  
  
"What do you want?" Luke asked.  
  
Leia shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
Luke had already read her mind, anyway, and found out what she wanted. He sat down next to her, on the bed, and pulled her close to him. Leia closed her eyes for a moment and saw, in her mind, Luke laughing as Han and Lando argued about what had happened during the sabaac game that caused Lando to loose the Millenium Falcon to Han.  
  
Opening her eyes, Leia said, "I want to talk to Dad."  
  
"Are you thinking of Bail Organa?" Luke guessed, for some reason.  
  
Leia shook her head. "No. Vader - Dad."  
  
Luke let go of her and stood. He studied her for a second before leaving the room, and Leia thought she saw a faint light in his eyes, just for a moment.  
  
She waited a little while before also leaving her room. There were still almost three hours left until noon; though her father often woke up early, so she doubted that he was still sleeping. On the way to the living room, she saw Tara.  
  
"Hey, sis," Tara said, giving Leia a hug.  
  
"Hi," Leia replied. "Good morning."  
  
"You too. Do you know if Mom's awake yet?"  
  
Leia shrugged. "Probably not. I haven't seen her yet. I'm looking for Dad."  
  
"He's in the living room," Tara said softly. "I'm going go take a shower. Can I borrow that purple shampoo you have in your bathroom? I love how it smells."  
  
"Sure," said Leia.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
--------------------  
  
Darth Vader wondered, briefly, what was going on when Leia entered the living room and softly said "Hi, Daddy." She and Tara usually did not have much courage to talk to him. But of course, Leia's greeting was not annoying at all. Vader approached her and hugged her. She returned the hug, but he felt her shiver.  
  
"Hello, Leia," Vader said. He studied her for a moment. "You usually are not awake so early."  
  
"I know," said Leia. She paused. "And I've barely thought about Han all morning."  
  
Vader looked at her. "Do not even think of trying that, Leia."  
  
"Trying what?" Leia asked, shivering again.  
  
"Pretending that you are forgetting about Han. You know that won't work. I can sense your feelings for him."  
  
"I know," Leia said again. It had been useless to try; she felt stupid now. In a somewhat meek voice, she added, "Daddy?"  
  
"Yes?" Vader asked.  
  
"Why exactly did you freeze Han in carbonite? I mean, I know you wanted to test the chamber before you put Luke in it, but you could have used Lando."  
  
"You know why. Boba Fett needed to take him to Jabba the Hutt," answered Vader. "And, if Solo was able to survive being frozen in carbonite for a while, he is definately qualified to date my little girl."  
  
Leia had to smile, even if Vader didn't.  
  
--------------------  
  
That afternoon, Luke went to the same store that he and Vader had gone to yesterday. This time, though, Tara came with him, and Leia as well. Luke had asked her if she'd wanted to come. He hadn't really meant to be so deliberately mean to her and Tara lately.  
  
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, a darker one immediately followed it. He couldn't let himself be so soft. But still, he was just as protective of his two sisters as he had always been; though he hadn't demonstrated it to them yet. And Padme...Luke had always had a special closeness with his mother since learning that she wasn't really dead. Even after his turning, that hadn't gone away.  
  
But out of everyone, the person that Luke was closest to was his father. Back when Luke was ten years old, before he'd even met Obi-Wan and Yoda, he'd wanted to be like his father someday. Although Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had lied to him and hadn't told him that Anakin had been a Jedi and a hero, something about that had always...bothered....Luke. He'd never been able to get rid of the lingering feeling, in the back of his mind, that his father was something greater.  
  
Luke hated Obi-Wan and Yoda now. If they weren't already dead, he would have killed them both himself. They had lied to him more than Darth Vader ever had; only telling him the truths that came from their points of view. Luckily, since Luke had turned, Obi-Wan's voice never came into his mind, and Luke never saw his ghost or Yoda's. That annoyance was over with.  
  
"This sucks," Tara said, bringing Luke back to the present. She was glancing at some part that was supposed to make a speeder bike go at least ten miles faster. "It doesn't even work on most of the newer models."  
  
Luke didn't respond. Tara had mostly been commenting to herself, so it didn't bother her. She went over to a cluttered, dirty counter at the front of the store. Luke watched as she went.  
  
Sitting behind the counter was the same girl whose red hair had caught his attention yesterday. Strange; yesterday she'd been wearing a shirt that had a library's name on it. Maybe she actually had a friend who worked there and had borrowed the shirt from them. She was wearing the same name tag that said MARA.  
  
Luke briefly thought that she was pretty - beautiful, actually - but once again, he didn't pay much attention to her.  
  
"Hello," Mara greeted Tara when she approached the counter. "Can I help you?"  
  
Tara asked if they had any shifters for the type of speeder she owned.  
  
"No, not yet. We probably won't get them until next month," answered Mara. "Your accent is very pretty. Where are you from?"  
  
"Tattooine," Tara replied.  
  
Mara nodded. She looked at the opposite side of the store. "Is that guy your boyfriend?"  
  
"Who?" asked Tara, glancing in the same direction.  
  
"That tall guy with the blonde hair, that you were just talking to," Mara said, lowering her voice. "There's another girl with him now."  
  
Leia was standing next to Luke, with her hand softly touching his arm.  
  
"Oh, no," Tara answered. "That's my brother and sister."  
  
Mara nodded again, still studying Luke. "He was in here yesterday, I think. He's...handsome."  
  
Tara smiled. "Want me to tell him you said so? He doesn't have a girlfriend."  
  
"No!" Mara giggled.  
  
"Alright. Tell me if you change your mind." 


	4. Chapter Four: The Dress

== Chapter Four ==  
  
Luke was sitting on the black couch in his room when there was a soft knock. Using the Force, he gestured towards the door and it slowly opened. Padme came inside, leaving the door half-open behind her.  
  
She approached the couch and curled up next to Luke, resting her head against his chest. She could do this with much less fear than Leia or Tara. Luke buried one of his hands in her hair. It was slightly damp; she must have just finished drying it after taking a shower.  
  
"Your father should be home soon," Padme said softly. Vader had gone on an errand about half an hour ago. "I think we're all going out tonight. Are we following someone or something?"  
  
Luke nodded. Padme smiled at him. "Tara told me about that girl at the store you went to earlier."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Luke. "The red-haired girl?"  
  
Padme nodded, smiling at him again. "Yeah. Tara talked to her for a minute, that's all. She thinks you're handsome."  
  
Luke didn't respond at first, so Padme added, "...which I agree with." She kissed one of Luke's hands, and he brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes.  
  
A fearful chill suddenly went through Padme. Luke felt it.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. Padme was staring down at herself, at the dress she was wearing. It was blue, with a colorful circle design on the front.  
  
"Shit," she said. She stood up, without answering Luke's question, and quickly left the room. Luke didn't go after her.  
  
-----  
  
Upstairs, in her and Darth Vader's bedroom, Padme quickly changed out of the dress. She put on a light yellow one, which had a soft pink rose design on the front, and brushed her hair.  
  
Unfortuneatly, Vader entered the room before Padme had time to put the other dress, the blue one, away. She was sitting on the floor and holding it, near the half-open door of the walk-in closet, when Vader found her. He saw her staring down at the blue dress in her hands.  
  
Padme didn't even look up at Vader. She was too scared. He had told her, a long while ago, that he never wanted to see that dress again.  
  
It was the dress she had been wearing the day that Shmi Skywalker died; when she'd held Anakin and tried her best to comfort him.  
  
Padme, still staring down at the dress, silently waited for Vader to hit her, or strangle her. He did that sometimes, but never strangled her for more than two or three seconds, to make sure he didn't come at all close to accidently killing her.  
  
"Are you ready, Padme?" Vader asked.  
  
Padme nervously looked up at him, then down at the dress again. "Y-You aren't mad?"  
  
"Just get rid of it," Vader replied. He'd hit her earlier, while Tara and Luke and Leia were out, when she'd accidently called him "Anakin". There was only a small bruise on her cheek, which was now covered with make-up.  
  
They had to leave now - the resturaunt they were all going to was almost an hour away - so Vader didn't want Padme to have to go and put more make-up on. Padme quickly put the dress back inside the walk-in closet.  
  
-----  
  
Later that night, Padme and Vader were back in their room again. Padme was massaging Vader's shoulders when he surprised her with a strange question.  
  
"Padme," he said, "if Anakin and I were actually two seperate men, which of us would you choose?"  
  
Padme's hands paused, resting lightly on each of Vader's bare shoulders. She whispered, "What?"  
  
"You heard me." Vader had mostly been expecting her to say she would choose Anakin, but glancing at her, he realized that she actually didn't seem to know.  
  
"I-I don't know, my love," Padme answered softly, confirming Vader's guess. "I can't answer that."  
  
Vader looked into her eyes. "You don't have to."  
  
The words sounded almost sweet at first, but Padme understood the hidden meaning of them. She didn't have to answer, aloud, because Vader go inside her mind anytime he wanted to. But even in her mind, Padme didn't know if she would choose Darth Vader or Anakin Skywalker.  
  
Still staring into Padme's eyes, Vader nodded. He was inside her mind right now. He slid one of his arms around her waist and pulled her close, so that she was in front of him now - she had been sitting behind him while massaging his shoulders a moment ago - and gave her a deep, somewhat rough kiss. After it ended, Padme had to take a second to catch her breath, then Vader resumed kissing her.  
  
-----  
  
It was almost midnight, but neither Tara or Leia were tired. Downstairs, they were both in Tara's room. Leia was adding a new coat of black polish to Tara's fingernails. Tara giggled as Leia told her how Han had flown the Millenium Falcon into a cave on an asteroid, and how the cave had actually turned out to be some kind of animal. Now that she, Chewbacca, the droids, and Han had managed to escape, she could laugh about it.  
  
"He really is a good pilot," she told Tara. "I didn't tell him that as many times as I should have."  
  
Tara didn't know what to say to keep Leia from becoming more sad. Luckily, she didn't have to. Just then, the door that connected her room with Luke's opened.  
  
"You can't sleep, either?" Tara asked him as he entered.  
  
"I just came home," Luke replied, sitting down on Tara's bed, next to her and Leia. He didn't seem to be angry about anything, and they were both glad he wanted to talk to them.  
  
"Where were you?" Leia asked. "If you don't mind me asking."  
  
"At the store that we went to earlier," answered Luke.  
  
"It's open this late?" asked Tara.  
  
Luke nodded.  
  
"Was that red-haired girl there? I forgot her name."  
  
"Mara," Luke answered. "Yes, she was there. No one else was there except her and I."  
  
If Luke wasn't a Sith now, then this would have been a great moment for Leia or Tara to give him a teasing-but-friendly smile.  
  
"Did you talk to her?" Leia asked. "Tara told me that she said she thinks you're handsome."  
  
"I know. Mom told me," Luke said. He and Mara had talked, in fact, for almost an hour - mostly about her house and her parents and her new baby cousin and her job at the store. Whenever she asked Luke about his family, he had given her some detail, just so that she wouldn't be suspicious about his answers being somewhat vague.  
  
Mara thought it was "sweet" that Luke, his sisters, and his parents all lived together. She probably wouldn't think it was sweet that Luke was an ex-Jedi and now a Sith, his father was Darth Vader - also an ex-Jedi and now a Sith.  
  
"How old is she?" Leia asked, breaking into Luke's thoughts.  
  
"I didn't ask," answered Luke.  
  
"She can't be older than you," said Tara. "Are you going to go out with her."  
  
"Perhaps," said Luke, realizing how happy his sisters were to have a peaceful conversation with him. Almost instantly, his dark instincts reminded him, again, about not being soft and "sweet" as Mara had commented.  
  
-----  
  
Two days later, Darth Vader and Luke left home again and returned to their main Star Destroyer. They still went there, even though they were the new rulers of the galaxy. Construction of the half-finished second Death Star had been stopped, and the structure had been abandoned after all of its weapons were destroyed or deactivated. Neither Vader nor Luke were dumb enough to think of building another Death Star, only to have it destroyed, again, by what was left of the Rebellion.  
  
The officers on the Star Destroyer had instantly given Luke as much respect as they had always given Vader, though they were slightly less afraid of Luke. They knew he was as powerful and as dark as Vader, though, if he was such good friends with him and was now second-in-command of the Empire - just like Vader had been second back when Emperor Palpatine was alive.  
  
At the moment, Luke was entering his father's private chambers. Although Vader still wore his armor whenever they weren't home; Luke didn't look at his father or think any differently than he did whenever he wasn't wearing it.  
  
"Son," Vader said. "Something is bothering you."  
  
"Nothing bothers me, Father," Luke answered.  
  
"Then something is on your mind, I should say."  
  
That was true. Yesterday and the day before- before Vader and Luke left - Luke had returned to Mara's store to talk to her some more, though not for more than a few minutes. She had already crossed his mind a few times today, and he wasn't sure why.  
  
"A girl," Vader said.  
  
"Yes, Father," Luke replied, half-expecting his father to chastise him somehow. But he didn't.  
  
"Who is she?" Vader asked, sounding interested in whoever his son was trying not to think about. "Mara?"  
  
Luke nodded; his father must have also noticed Mara's nametag before. "I want her, Father."  
  
"I knew, on the day that I met Padme, that I would marry her," Vader told him, not annoyed at all by what Luke seemed to feel about the girl. "If you wish to have Mara, or any other girl in the galaxy, then she will marry you." 


	5. Chapter Five: Written On The Wall

Author's Note: In case you haven't notice, I haven't read many of the after-ROTJ books, so excuse me if my Mara character isn't very good or accurate...I know she's probably not as caffeine-charged (haha) and helpless as the one in this story. I'm sort of making my own version of her.  
  
== Chapter Five ==  
  
It was only five days before Darth Vader and Luke came home again. Tara, Leia, and Padme were definately not disappointed, of course, but a little surprised. Before leaving, Luke had said they would probably be gone for over a week.  
  
Only a few minutes after entering the house, though, Luke disappeared into his room. He hadn't said a word to Tara or Leia. Padme had followed Vader upstairs to their room; it seemed as if they had to talk about something.  
  
"Do you have the strange feeling that something's going on?" Leia asked Tara.  
  
"Sort of," answered Tara. "Wanna go and see if we can try to talk to Luke?"  
  
Leia shivered. "No. I'm going back to my room. Come with me if you want."  
  
Tara nodded and followed her.  
  
-----  
  
Luckily, Leia and Tara did not have to wait long for an explanation. Padme came into Leia's room, quietly closing the door behind her. She sat down on the bed, between both of her daughters.  
  
"Is everything okay, Mom?" Tara asked.  
  
"Fine," answered Padme. She paused. "Luke's marrying that red-haired girl...Mara."  
  
"What?!" Leia exclaimed. "He doesn't even know her that well...she accepted his proposal?"  
  
She knew it was a dumb statement as soon as she said it.  
  
"She's not exactly getting a choice," Padme said. "But, we have to admit that Luke trusts his instincts. He probably knows he should choose her."  
  
Tara and Leia both nodded. Padme was quiet for a moment before continuing.  
  
"We're going to go to Naboo for a few days," she said.  
  
"What about Dad?" asked Leia.  
  
"He's coming. The four of us are going," Padme answered. "Luke and Mara are going to stay here and...have their honeymoon."  
  
Tara wanted to change the subject away from poor Mara. "Where on Naboo are we going?"  
  
"I don't know. Your father didn't say."  
  
"Oh." Tara thought it was odd, since Naboo was Padme's home planet...but maybe Vader had been there enough times to know it well himself. "When do we leave?"  
  
"Now. You don't have to pack anything," said Padme.  
  
"You don't know where we're going, but you know that we don't have to pack anything?" Leia asked.  
  
Padme laughed. "Yes. Now, both of you should go talk to Luke before we go. Don't bother him about Mara, though."  
  
-----  
  
The sun was setting when Luke left the house, a few hours after Vader and the girls had left for Naboo. The sky was splashed with golds, crimsons, purples, and reds that briefly reminded Luke of his bride's hair. Of course, she didn't yet know that she was going to be his bride.  
  
His plan for capturing her was simple; he'd already thought it out earlier. He had learned, using one of his and Vader's spies, that Mara did not have to stay late at the store tonight. She was getting off work in a few minutes.  
  
When he reached town, he stood outside the café that was right next to Mara's store. As soon as he saw her come outside - without her noticing him yet - he waited and then started to walk away.  
  
"Luke!"  
  
He turned, looking in Mara's direction again.  
  
"Hey!" she said as she almost ran up to him. "You haven't come into the store during the past few days. I was beginning to worry about you."  
  
"I was away," Luke answered.  
  
"Oh," Mara said, smiling at him. "So everything is okay?"  
  
"Everything is good," Luke said, studying her. "Where are you going?"  
  
Mara shrugged. "Home, I guess. What about you?"  
  
"Home," answered Luke. He paused, looking into Mara's green eyes. "Would you like to come with me? If you do not have plans?"  
  
"Sure," said Mara. "I would love to meet your sisters."  
  
"They aren't there. They're both out."  
  
"Oh. What about your parents?"  
  
"Also out."  
  
Mara laughed, not bothered at all as Luke slid his arm into hers. "So everyone left you home alone?"  
  
Now it was time for Luke's innocent, nervous, helpless look.   
  
"Well..." he started.  
  
"What?"  
  
"They all knew that I wanted to ask you out."  
  
"Oh," Mara said again. She looked up at him and smile. "I was hoping you would. You're very sweet."  
  
Luke was secretly amused and almost wanted to laugh, but held it back. "Do you really think so?"  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
-----  
  
Padme was incredibly surprised when the place that the four of them came to was a lake retreat...the lake retreat. The one where she and Anakin had stayed, years ago, and the place where they had been married. When she looked at Vader, he had sent a thought into her mind.  
  
{ Act as if you have not been here before. }  
  
Padme nodded. She supposed that was a good idea.  
  
"Wow," she said softly, as she and Vader followed Leia and Tara into the living room. "There's a fireplace."  
  
"It's beautiful," Leia commented, sitting down on the couch.  
  
"How did you two find this place, Mom?" Tara asked, also sitting down.  
  
"I..." Padme softly replied...  
  
{ "From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you, and now that I'm with you again..." }  
  
"...don't know. Your father found it," she finished, looking at Vader and giving him a small smile.  
  
-----  
  
Luke and Mara were just outside of town, heading towards an area where several citizens had parked their speeders, including Luke. Luke suddenly stopped and looked down at Mara.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.  
  
"I..." Luke paused, so he could look as if he were nervous about asking. "I want to kiss you, if you don't mind."  
  
"I don't," Mara said, standing up on her toes a bit. Luke leaned down a little and kissed her. After she pulled away from him, he slid his arms around her waist.  
  
"Have I told you my last name yet?" he asked.  
  
Mara thought for a second. "No, I don't think you have. What is it?"  
  
"Skywalker."  
  
"Excuse me?" Mara stared at him. The Luke Skywalker...it couldn't really be him, could it?  
  
"How many other Luke Skywalkers do you know?" asked Luke. "Yes, I just read your mind."  
  
"But...you've come into the store so many times. Why I haven't I recognized you before? Why hasn't anyone else recognized you?" Mara asked. She tried to pull away from him, but he kept his arms around her waist.  
  
"I hid my presence. I can do that," answered Luke. He didn't need to explain Darth Vader - no one, in public, recognized Vader without his armor.  
  
"What do you want with me? I don't recall doing anything to piss off the Empire," Mara said.  
  
"You are going to marry me," Luke answered calmly, stroking her hair with one of his black-gloved hands. Before Mara could say anything, he moved the hand over her mouth, keeping his other arm around her waist.  
  
"Mara," he said, "you care about your parents, don't you? And Kelana and Eryn?"  
  
Mara made a small, nervous nod. She and Luke had talked about their families before whenever he'd visited her at the store, though she couldn't remember having told him her sisters' names before. She wouldn't be surprised if Luke also knew where they lived, or where her own apartment was.  
  
"I will give you two days to go see them. Then you will meet me here, at this spot, at sunset. Do you understand?"  
  
Mara nodded again.  
  
"If you mention me at all, or even give them a clue, they will die," Luke said, "and your aunt and uncle may suffer as well."  
  
He let go of Mara's mouth, then reached down and kissed her forehead. She didn't say anything. The thought of anything happening to her parents and two little sisters, and her aunt and uncle...and Meka, her two-week-old cousin...  
  
Luke nodded, probably reading her mind again.  
  
"I will see you in two days," he said softly.  
  
-----  
  
It didn't surprise Mara that the next two days - the two days Luke was allowing her to spend with her family - were also the same two in which her aunt, uncle, and baby Meka were visiting. Luke must have known that, too.  
  
Eight-year-old Kelana and five-year-old Eryn detected their big sister's sadness when she entered the house, but when Kelana asked what was wrong, Mara just said it was nothing. Mara's mother and aunt didn't get a more detailed answer from her, either. Mara decided to try and act normal during the next two days, as if nothing were happening. It wouldn't be easy, but this would probably be the last time she saw her family for a while, and she didn't want to her sisters to see her being depressed.  
  
-----  
  
Even though the lake retreat had three empty rooms, Leia and Tara shared a room. Darth Vader and Padme stayed in the one next door.  
  
Tara was in the bathroom, drying her hair. Leia was sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to take off the silver necklace she was wearing. The clasp seemed to be stuck again. Finally, with a bit more force, she felt it come loose. The necklace fell to the floor, near her feet.  
  
Leia knelt down to pick it up, and suddenly paused before standing again.  
  
Far down on the wall - an inch or two the floor, actually - near the bed, someone had written ANAKIN & PADME. The date, underneath, was from over twenty years ago.  
  
"Tara?" Leia called.  
  
"Yeah?" Tara replied, coming out of the bathroom.  
  
"Look at this." 


	6. Chapter Six: Bride

Author's Note: I just realized that in the last chapter, Padme tells Tara and Leia that they're going to Naboo, when they already live on Naboo. Sorry, please excuse my blondeness :)  
  
== Chapter Six ==  
  
Mara Jade was right on time, at the same spot where Luke Skywalker had told her, two days earlier, to meet him. He was already there when she arrived at sunset, as he had instructed.  
  
Luke studied Mara as she approached him. She was wearing a simple, short white dress. The dress didn't have any sleeves; only two thin straps, and she wasn't wearing any kind of jacket or coat over it. But she wasn't shivering just because she was cold.  
  
"Good, you are not being stupid," said Luke.   
  
Mara gave him a brief, silent I-wish-you-were-dead glare. He was more amused than annoyed, though.  
  
"I think this will be an interesting marriage," he said, sliding his arm inside hers, as he had the other day. This time, of course, Mara didn't think it was "sweet", but she didn't try to pull away from him.  
  
"I guess so," she replied softly, followed by a sigh. "Why me?"  
  
"Because I chose you," Luke answered as they started walking back into the town, probably to whatever place they were going to get married at.  
  
"If I was a twenty-something-year-old man who looked like you, I could have any girl I wanted. I wouldn't choose a girl that looked like me."  
  
Luke looked at her. "I am twenty-two. And I see that you have low self-esteem."  
  
"I can't believe that a Sith is talking to me about having low self-esteem. Anyway, my self-esteem was a lot higher before I met you."  
  
"No. You were happy before you learned who I was," Luke pointed out. Even though Mara was scared, and hated being in this situation, he felt that she, deep down, still sort of liked walking with him, with her arm inside his.  
  
----------  
  
Darth Vader wasn't tired, nor was Padme. Padme asked Vader if he would mind going out to the meadow to take a walk - she wasn't sure if he would have a problem with that, because so many Anakin Skywalker memories were there. Then again, if he didn't want any Anakin memories bothering him, he and the girls shouldn't have stayed at this particular lake retreat.  
  
Vader didn't mind going for a walk. Padme went next door to Leia and Tara's room, to ask if they wanted to come along. Both of them did, although Padme thought, just for a second, that both of them were staring at her.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing," Tara said quietly. She and Leia had both agreed to not mention anything about what they had found written on the wall in their bedroom, the ANAKIN & PADME note. Of course, both Padme and Vader had to know it was there, because one of them had written it...but Leia and Tara didn't want them to know that they had discovered it.  
  
It was a little cool outside, but the breeze felt nice. The moon was full, so there was a peaceful, cool glow. Padme slipped her hand inside Vader's. Tara and Leia walked next to them.  
  
For a few minutes, no one said anything. It seemed like all of them were thinking of at least one far-off love, or friend, that they missed terribly. Except for Darth Vader, of course - his angel was standing right next to him.  
  
Tara was thinking of Oola, her old best friend, whom still hadn't seen since that party a couple of years ago; the night that Darth Vader had first found her. She also thought of Aiva and Arika, Emperor Palpatine's great nieces, who had thrown the wild party. Briefly, she wondered if Aiva and Arika - if she ever saw them again - would hate her if they knew that her father and brother had killed the Emperor.  
  
Leia thought about Han. She wondered what he was doing right now. She had a vague feeling that he was probably thinking about her too, now, at this very moment. She couldn't believe it had been over three months since she'd last seen or spoken to him. But she hardly kept track of days and weeks anymore. It all just seemed like a big, dreary, long amount of time.  
  
She glanced over at her mother. Poor Padme; she hadn't seen Anakin in over twenty whole years, and Leia was suffering like this after only a few months. She couldn't imagine being lost, apart from Han for as long as Padme had been without Anakin.  
  
But it was slightly different in her situation. She had Darth Vader, whom Anakin Skywalker - as Padme still swore, to this very day - was still deep inside of, somewhere.  
  
Padme suddenly stopped walking, and Tara, Leia, and Vader paused as well.  
  
"Are you okay, Mom?" Leia asked.  
  
Padme was silent at first. She looked out at the meadow for a moment.  
  
{ "No, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator..." }  
  
"Do you mind if we go back?" she finally said. "I'm getting a little tired."  
  
"So am I," Tara said.  
  
Padme stared at the meadow for another second, then the four of them turned around and started walking back to the lake house.  
  
---------  
  
Back inside her and Vader's room, after saying good-night to Leia and Tara, Padme lay in the bed. Vader was taking a shower. Padme's eyes were closed, and she was only half-awake.  
  
{ "We live in a real world! Come back to it! You're studying to become a Jedi, I'm a senator." }  
  
"You fucking idiot," Padme told herself softly. She had never forgiven herself for not accepting Anakin's love right then, after he'd first deeply confessed it to her.  
  
{ "I'm good at fixing things, always was...but I couldn't...why did she have to die, Padme? Why couldn't I save her?!" }  
  
Padme let out a tired sigh. { Why did Anakin have to die, Vader? Why couldn't I save him? }  
  
She felt Vader enter the bed. He moved close to her and, using one arm, gently turned Padme over so that she was facing him. Her eyes were still closed, although a couple of tears had fallen over her cheeks.  
  
Vader reached down and kissed her forehead, then her lips. She was so tired that she barely returned the kiss, but snuggled next to him. Vader slid both of his arms around her and reached into her mind for a moment.  
  
{ I'm never going to see Anakin again. I can't bring him back. I can't do it without Luke's help. }  
  
Vader left Padme's thoughts; she was drifting into sleep now. He stroked her face gently. Something came to his mind, and he almost whispered it to her, but decided not to.  
  
The last thing Padme remembered, before falling asleep, was something else that Anakin had said.  
  
{ "Anything is possible, Padme. Listen to me." }  
  
----------  
  
Mara buried her face into the black pillows on Luke's bed. As physically exhausted as she felt now, she couldn't sleep. She wanted to, so that she could wake up in the morning and see that this had all been a bad dream.  
  
Luke slid his arm around her, pulling her closer to him.  
  
"I hate you," Mara said softly.  
  
Luke kissed her bare neck, which made her shiver. "At least I won't have to be concerned about you not being honest with me."  
  
Mara sighed. "I really did think you were such a...nice man, Luke." She paused. "I actually looked foward to going to work every day, because I was hoping you would come into the store."  
  
Luke didn't respond to that. Mara tried to move away from him, but he kept his arm around her. He kissed her neck again, then her shoulder, just to make her shiver some more. She didn't say anything else. She closed her eyes and finally fell asleep. 


	7. Chapter Seven: Meeting Mara

== Chapter Seven ==  
  
Mara was still tired when she opened her eyes the next morning. Luke, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, had woken her up by gently shaking her. She turned and looked at him for a moment, then moved away from him.  
  
"Great..." she muttered. "It wasn't just a nightmare."  
  
"Good morning to you, too," Luke replied. He pulled the edge of the blankets down a little, exposing Mara's bare shoulders and back, and stroked her skin for a moment. She shivered.  
  
Luke glanced down at the floor, noticing the long-sleeved black shirt he'd been wearing last night was there. He picked it up and gave it to Mara.  
  
She hesitated, but quietly said "Thank you" and put it on. She sat up and leaned back a little, against the pillows, and tried to avoid her new husband's eyes.  
  
"My father called my comlink last night," said Luke. "He and my mother and sisters will be home this evening."  
  
Mara shivered again, more from fear than cold. "Shit...that's Darth fucking Vader..."  
  
Luke slapped her, hard enough that she almost saw stars swirling around in her vision. Her cheek started to sting.  
  
"Do not speak about my father that way," Luke said calmly, with no anger showing in his voice. "And you might want to be a little less of a bitch towards me, as well."  
  
Mara nodded weakly. She was quiet for a long moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you hungry?"  
  
"What?" asked Luke.  
  
Mara shrugged. "If I'm your new wife, then you should at least know that I can cook."  
  
"Very well." Luke stood, and reached out his hand to help Mara stand up - she was still slightly dizzy from him hitting her. She didn't object when he continued holding her arm as they walked to the kitchen.  
  
----------  
  
When Leia came out of the bathroom, she was wiping tears from her eyes. Tara, sitting on the bed, looked at her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tara asked.  
  
Leia sighed, then came over to the bed and sat down next to her little sister. She whispered, even though they were sitting next to each other, "Han called my comlink last night, while you were asleep."  
  
"He did? Where is he?" Tara asked, also keeping her voice to a whisper.  
  
"I don't know. He tried to tell me, but I wouldn't let him. I reminded him that Luke or Dad could read my mind or something," answered Leia. Then her eyes became wet again. "But he said he's going to come for me anyway."  
  
"He is?"  
  
"Yes, he said he's going to search every planet in the galaxy if he has to."  
  
"Well, I guess you can't stop him, then," Tara said.  
  
Leia looked at her. "But what about Luke and our dad? What if they hurt him?"  
  
Tara shrugged, not sure what to say. "I guess we'll have to see when he finds us. We can't do much about it now."  
  
"You're right," Leia said, letting out a sigh.  
  
----------  
  
When Leia and Tara walked past Padme and Darth Vader's room, the door to the room was half-open. Tara paused, then gently motioned for Leia to follow her inside.  
  
"Hi, girls," Padme said. She and Vader were still in bed. She was snuggled in his arms, looking peaceful.  
  
"Good morning," Tara said softly. Leia went over to Padme's side of the bed and curled up next to her, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder. She gave Tara a now-you-have-to-sit-next-to-Vader look. Tara noticeably hesitated, but went and curled up next to Vader. He gently draped his arm around her neck and shoulders.  
  
"Are you both ready to go home? We're going to leave this afternoon." Padme said. She smiled at the sight of the four of them sitting together. Now all they needed was Luke, Han, and Mara. Padme was looking foward to meeting her, although she could imagine how terrified the girl must be.  
  
"Yes," Leia answered.  
  
Tara was quiet. As Vader buried his fingers in her golden-blonde hair, a couple of memories went through her mind, like the night he'd found her on Coruscant after that party. She shivered a little. He probably felt her nervousness, but didn't say anything.  
  
For some reason, Tara suddenly decided that if Vader and Luke were going to make her and Leia get into the Force stuff, she hoped Vader trained her, although she wasn't sure why. She was much more scared of Vader than she was of Luke. She also had the feeling that if her father wasn't pleased with her, or proud of her, she'd be crushed.  
  
Vader stroked her hair. Maybe he'd just caught that thought in her mind. She wasn't sure if she should be worried or not.  
  
----------  
  
Mara was already scared of Darth Vader, of course, but she had wondered what Padme, Leia, and Tara would be like. She mostly expected them to be a little bitchy towards her, not much nicer than Luke.  
  
But that guess faded as soon as she saw Padme. Mara sitting alone in Luke's room, on his bed, when there was a soft knock on the door. After a moment or two, the door slowly opened, and Padme came inside. She didn't have any grey hair and barely looked like she was in her forties - Mara could have almost mistaken her for being Luke's sister. A warm, peaceful feel seemed to come from her.  
  
"Hello, Mara," she said. "I'm Padme."  
  
"Hi," Mara said softly, because she was shy, and surprised. "Are you...?"  
  
Padme came over to the bed and sat down next to her. "Am I who?"  
  
"Queen Amidala - well, the former queen, I mean."  
  
Padme laughed softly. "Yes. And you're my little boy's new wife, right?"  
  
Mara nodded.  
  
"I know that he forced you to marry him," Padme assured her, "and I'm sorry. But since you didn't have a choice, and you're here, I'm sure that you'll be very good friends with Leia and Tara and I."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Padme looked at her. "What happened to your cheek?"  
  
Mara looked down at her hands. "Luke hit me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Padme said again. She paused, then hugged Mara. "If I could do something about that, then I would."  
  
"I understand if you can't," Mara said, greatful for the hug.  
  
Padme was about to reply, but the door to the room opened again. Two girls came inside. One of them, the blonde one, quietly closed the door again.  
  
"Hi, Mara," said the brown-haired one, who looked much like Padme. "Are you alright? Your cheek is bruised."  
  
"She hurt herself at work the other day," said Padme, quickly glancing at Mara. Mara nodded.  
  
"Oh. I hope you feel better," said the brown-haired girl. "I'm Leia, and this is Tara."  
  
"Hello," said Tara. "I talked to you in the store once, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes," Mara said. She wondered whose side of the family Tara had inherited her beautiful accent from, probably her father. Mara shivered and looked at the door, half-expecting Luke and Darth Vader to come inside at any moment.  
  
"Daddy and Luke went into town," Leia said to Padme, calming Mara's nervousness for now. "They'll be back soon."  
  
Padme nodded quietly, then replied, "We should go cook."  
  
"Daddy said that they're taking us out again tonight," Leia told her.  
  
"Oh, okay." Padme turned back to Mara and gave her another reassuring smile. "Any questions you want to ask us? About living with Sith?"  
  
Mara thought. "Is it true that they eat bats?"  
  
All of them laughed, even Mara.  
  
"No, no, that's not true," Tara said.  
  
"That's a relief," Mara said. She hesitated. "Umm...I don't have any of my old clothes or anything..."  
  
"You can borrow mine and Leia's whenever you want," said Tara. "We always borrow each other's stuff. We've mostly lost track of which clothes belong to who, in fact."  
  
"You look like you're the same size as us," Leia added.  
  
"Thank you," said Mara. She was relieved, and happy, that Leia, Padme, and Tara were not at all like she had expected them to be. 


	8. Chapter Eight: I'm Back

== Chapter Eight ==  
  
While Mara was surprised by the kindess and comfort that she automatically received from Tara, Leia, and Padme, it was different with Darth Vader. He was as frightening as she had expected. Just standing two feet away from him, when Luke introduced Mara, was scary. Luckily, Vader didn't really say anything to Mara directly.  
  
Not long after the family returned home from the restaraunt, Luke and Vader went down to lift weights in the house's basement. Padme had earlier explained to Mara that it was a gym.  
  
Leia and Tara invited Mara to watch a holomovie in Leia's room, but she quietly said that she was tired and wanted to get some sleep. Padme, wanting to take a shower and wash her hair, went upstairs to her and Vader's room.  
  
-----  
  
As soon as they were inside her room, Leia sighed and sat down on the bed.  
  
"Do you think Daddy and Luke know anything?" she asked Tara.  
  
"About Han calling you?" Tara replied.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No, I doubt it...unless one of them tried to talk to you about it. Did they?"  
  
Leia shook her head. "No, but we've been out at the restaraunt, and you and Mom and I were welcoming Mara, so there wasn't much of an opportunity for one of them to question me about it."  
  
"That's true." Tara picked up Leia's hairbrush from her desk and ran it through her hair a few times.  
  
Leia sighed again, and said, "Why does it have to be like this?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Our lives in general."  
  
Tara set the brush down and went over to the bed. She sat next to her older sister and said, "It's just how they are."  
  
"That's a good answer," Leia said sarcastically.  
  
"Leia, it's true. We can't do much about it," said Tara. "And, given the choice, I wouldn't change anything."  
  
Leia looked at her, a bit surprised. "You wouldn't change the fact that our father is the new tyrant of the galaxy, and our brother is second-in-command?"  
  
"Leia," Tara said, lowering her voice. "Darth Vader is not being nearly as much of a tyrant as Palpatine was. I don't think that any innocent civilians have died since our father took over."  
  
"No, they haven't, but it's only been three months," Leia replied, "and Luke and...Daddy....haven't done anything to help people who were suffering because of things done by the Emperor."  
  
"You know, Leia, you call him 'Daddy' more often that I do," Tara said. She paused. "And when I said that I wouldn't change anything, I didn't mean the Empire. I meant our family."  
  
"Daddy..." Leia paused, realizing she had just proved what Tara said, "...and Luke are both Sith."  
  
"Aren't you glad that all five of us - well, six now, with Mara - are all together?" Tara asked.  
  
"Han isn't here."  
  
"He's on his way. He said he's going to look for you until he finds you."  
  
"Yes. He's going to do it even if it gets him killed," Leia said. More quietly, she added, "But yes, I am glad that we're all together. And I shouldn't have called Daddy a tyrant. I'm sorry."  
  
Tara hugged her, and thought of something. "Leia?"  
  
"Yes?" Leia said, putting her arm around Tara.  
  
"I get to be the maid of honor at you and Han's wedding, right?"  
  
Leia laughed. "Of course. Well, if I have a maid of honor. I really just want a small, simple wedding. Like the one that Mom and Daddy had - you know, when he was Anakin Skywalker."  
  
----------  
  
During the past few months, before Han had finally talked to her again, it had seemed like all of Leia's days were long, drawn-out, dark, full of rain even when the sun was shining. Now, they were even harder to endure. Every moment, whenever her father or Luke passed by her, she shivered, wondering if they were going to suddenly come over and ask her about Han.  
  
Neither of them did, although they both seemed to know that something was going on. It was very difficult to hide anything from them. Leia wondered if Han hadn't come already, and they had killed him to get him out of the way.  
  
{ Luke couldn't do that. Not after everything that he, Han, Chewbacca, Lando, and the droids and I have been through together. } Leia thought. Then again, she had once thought that he could never give in to the Dark Side.  
  
It took almost a month, but the day finally came.  
  
One evening, Leia was sitting outside on the house's front lawn, wanting to watch the sunset. Padmé and Darth Vader stood nearby. Vader and Luke almost never let any of the girls be outside by themselves - mostly because they were so protective, not because they thought that the girls would try to escape.  
  
Han simply walked up to their front yard, as if he had been here every day. Leia stared at him for a moment, then jumped up and ran to him. For a few seconds, she did not worry about her father watching them, or what he might do. She just enjoyed finally being in Han's arms again.  
  
After a few seconds, though, they had to turn around and deal with Darth Vader.  
  
It was the first time that Han had actually seen what Vader looked like now, without his armor, but he knew it was him. He was as tall as Vader, and looked much like Luke. The woman standing next to him resembled Leia. That had to be Padme Skywalker.  
  
Leia held onto Han for another moment, then let go of him and walked over to her father.  
  
"Daddy..." she said softly, not knowing what to plead for first. Padme put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
Vader looked at Han. "I did not doubt that I would soon be seeing you again, Solo."  
  
Han found the courage to make a joke, even if he was possibly about to die. "I-I am crazy about your daughter, Lord Vader."  
  
"I know," Vader replied. "I also know that you and my daughter are already engaged."  
  
That didn't surprise Han or Leia, or Padme.  
  
"Daddy," Leia tried, "he didn't have a chance to...ask your permission or anything. I made him leave before you and Luke could find him."  
  
"I know, Leia," Vader said, not taking his cold gaze away from Han.  
  
"I am going to marry your daughter, Lord Vader," Han said, somehow keeping his voice from noticeably shaking.  
  
"Only because I allow it," Vader reminded him.  
  
Han nodded. Leia moved away from Padme and, after hesitating for a moment, hugged her father. During the hug, a thought came to her.  
  
She looked up at Vader. "Where are Han and I going to live? Do you want us to live here?"  
  
"We'll worry about that later, Leia," Padme said.  
  
"Alright." Leia moved away from her father, gave Padme another hug, then returned to Han. 


	9. Chapter Nine: You Look Like Someone

== Chapter Nine ==  
  
Han only said "hello" to Luke. Leia, understanding how strange it must be for him to see what his friend had become, took his hand and led him to her room.  
  
During the past month, Luke and Mara's marriage hadn't gotten much better. Mara was almost happy whenever she was spending time with Tara and Leia. However, she was still scared of Luke, and she avoided Darth Vader whenever she could - therefore, she didn't get to talk to Padme as much as she did Tara and Leia, since Padme was almost always around Vader.  
  
When alone with Luke, Mara almost never said anything, unless he asked her a question. She didn't give him anymore hateful glares or sassy-but-upset comments. It seemed like she would just sit there and look her and Luke's bedroom window - even when the curtains were closed - or stare at the floor, feeling trapped and lonely.  
  
It annoyed Luke, and frustrated him sometimes. A few times, he even approached her and slapped her - although she hadn't said anything - just to get some kind of reaction out of her.  
  
And, although he didn't admit it at first, Luke knew that he was bothered because Mara didn't like him. She had every reason not to, and also, Luke was a Sith now. He told himself that he wasn't supposed to be troubled and worried about his wife not liking him. He decided that he was just affected by it because he was still sort of new to the Dark Side.  
  
Still, whenever he observed how Padme was always giving kisses and hugs to Darth Vader, talking to him, and following him whenever he went, because she loved him so much despite being afraid of him and losing Anakin...it occassionally made Luke wonder if he and Mara would ever be like that.  
  
----------  
  
Meanwhile, Leia and Han were working on figuring out where they were going to live. Both of them doubted that Leia would be allowed to move out. In addition to that, she didn't want to leave Tara, Leia, Padme, Luke, Vader, and lately, she had also become friends with Mara.  
  
It seemed fine for Han to live here, but the only problem - as Leia pointed out - was that he'd be leaving Chewbacca and Lando behind.  
  
"That'll be fine. I'll talk to them," Han said, sitting next to Leia on the bed.  
  
Leia looked at him. "What? Chewie will hate it."  
  
"Not when I explain everything to him," said Han. "It won't be permanent."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, sweetheart, you need to be here right now," Han said, lowering his voice, "if you and your mom and sisters want to turn Luke and your father back to good."  
  
Leia nodded. "Yes, I do. Do you really think we can do it?"  
  
"I know you can. Until then, we'll just stay here."  
  
"Alright." Leia hugged him. "I'm glad that you'll be here, Han. I don't have any strength if you're not with me."  
  
"You're a strong woman, Leia. You can take care of yourself."  
  
"Not since I fell in love with you." Leia smiled at him, then stood up and kissed the top of his head. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
----------  
  
Darth Vader and Luke had only two more days before they needed to leave and return to the Star Destroyer. They would probably be there for at least a week. Before they left, though, Leia asked Vader if she could go ahead and have her simple, quiet wedding.  
  
She and Han chose to have the wedding beside a small pond near the woods, a few miles away from the house. It was warm and sunny outside, although there were a few dark clouds in the sky. Hopefully it wouldn't start raining yet.  
  
The ceremony didn't take long, and although Leia and Han wanted Chewbacca, Lando, C-3PO and R2-D2, Anakin Skywalker, and the old Luke Skywalker to be there, it was as happy a ceremony as they could have without them.  
  
After Han and Leia finished their kiss, Leia thanked the minister, a human man who was probably in his fifties or sixties.  
  
"You're very welcome, ma'am," he said. He stared at her for a moment. "You know, you look just like this girl in another wedding I performed a while ago."  
  
"Oh?" Leia asked politely.  
  
"Yeah, it was about twenty-something years ago," the minister recalled. "I remember that one of her husband's hands was metal..."  
  
Padme looked up at Darth Vader and gave him a small, nervous smile.  
  
"...well, good luck to you both."  
  
"Thank you," said Han.  
  
----------  
  
Two mornings later, before he and Vader went to their ship to leave, Luke went back inside for a moment. When he entered his bedroom, Mara was still in bed, pretending to be asleep. Luke knew she was awake, but didn't say so.  
  
He went to the bed and sat down for a moment. Mara opened her eyes, probably guessing that her trick wasn't going to work.  
  
"What is wrong with you? You should be happy," said Luke. "I will be gone for an entire week or more."  
  
Mara half-shrugged, not sure how to respond. She just looked at Luke with her green eyes, which were no longer as bright and lively as they had been before Luke had forced her to marry him.  
  
Luke reached down and kissed her. After staring at her for another moment, he left. 


	10. Chapter Ten: New Arrivals

== Chapter Ten ==  
  
Somehow, the day passed quickly. Mara, Leia, Tara, Padmé, and Han all ate breakfast together, watched a couple of holomovies in Leia's room, and ate lunch. When evening came, Leia and Han went out to the backyard and watched the sunset. Padmé seemed tired and appeared to have something on her mind, but when Tara asked her about it, she said she just wanted to go to bed early and get some rest.  
  
After taking a shower and drying her hair, she went to her and Darth Vader's closet and took one of Vader's shirts, a long-sleeved black one. She smiled as she put it on.  
  
As soon as she approached the bed, her comlink, lying on the small black table on Vader's side of the bed, began beeping. She picked it up and turned it on.  
  
"Hello?" she said.  
  
"Angel," Vader replied.  
  
"Sweetheart!" Padmé said as she sat down on the bed. "I was hoping you would call me...I have something to tell you..."  
  
"I would think so."  
  
"What do you mean..oh, you and Luke probably sensed it already," Padmé said. She sighed, not sure if it was a tired or a relieved sigh. "I'm pregnant."  
  
"Yes," said Vader.  
  
"What are we going to do?"  
  
"You surprise me. I thought that you would want to keep it."  
  
"Of course I do, but do you?" asked Padmé.  
  
"Padmé," Vader said, allowing a slight tone of anger to come into his voice.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, my love," Padmé said. She changed the subject. "Vader, has Tara talked to you about anything lately?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Vader.  
  
"I don't know. Anything. I think she might feel left out. She's the only girl in the house who doesn't have a husband."  
  
"She does not confide in me about anything."  
  
"Maybe I'll talk to her later, then," said Padmé. "Good night. I love you. I really am happy that we're having another child."  
  
Vader was quiet for a moment, then said, "I love you, Padmé."  
  
Padmé smiled. It was the first time in months that he had directly said those words to her, but she knew that he always did love her. She felt bad for automatically assuming that he would want to get rid of the baby.  
  
"Good night," she said again.  
  
"Wait, Padmé."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Mara is pregnant, also."  
  
"She is?!" Padmé exclaimed. "Wow."  
  
"Do not tell her yet. Let her find out on her own, or from Luke," said Vader.  
  
"I won't tell her," Padmé replied. "I'm going to get some sleep. Good night again."  
  
"Good night, Angel."  
  
----------  
  
While they were all eating breakfast the next morning, Padmé told everyone.  
  
Han and Leia both seemed excited, while Mara and Tara remained sort of quiet. Padmé could guess what was wrong with those two. Mara had most likely noticed that she might be pregnant, but didn't want to say anything and take away from Padme's announcement. Tara was probably feeling that there was now another factor that would leave her out from the other girls in the house - well, not completely, since Leia wasn't pregnant also.  
  
Padmé reached over and kissed her youngest daughter's forehead. Although Tara didn't always do much to talk to Darth Vader, Padmé knew that she was attached to him, especially since she was his most trusted agent and had been working for him for over two years.  
  
"Are you alright, Mara?" Padmé asked softly.  
  
"I'm fine," Mara answered.  
  
---------  
  
But of course, she wasn't. Thinking that she might be having a baby, too, and being worried about having to tell Luke, she had trouble getting any sleep that night.  
  
As she lay in bed, awake, she realized something else that was bothering her. During the past month or so, she had gotten used to Luke lying next to her at night, usually sliding his arms around her and pulling her close. It even felt strange that, for the next week, she wouldn't have to carefully think about what she said before speaking, for fear of him hitting her or strangling her for a few seconds.  
  
Mara sighed. { He's going to hit me when I tell him that I think I might be...}  
  
There was a soft knock on the bedroom door. For a moment, she worried that it might be Luke, but he wouldn't have knocked before coming into his own room.  
  
"Come in," she called.  
  
Padmé entered the room, closing the door behind her. She came over to the bed and sat down next to her daughter-in-law.  
  
"Hi, Padmé," Mara said softly.  
  
"Mara, is something really wrong with you? You've been really quiet all day," said Padmé.  
  
Mara sighed again. "I think that I'm having a baby, too. I don't know."  
  
Padmé gave her a small smile. "You are."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"An-- Vader told me."  
  
"Oh. How does he know?"  
  
"He and Luke can sense when you're pregnant," Padmé explained, "because the baby is strong in the Force."  
  
Mara nodded. "At least I don't have to worry about breaking the news to Luke. But I'm frightened. I don't know what he'll want to do."  
  
"I seriously doubt that he'll want you to get rid of the baby," Padmé assured her.  
  
"Don't call it a baby, please. I don't want to become attached to it," said Mara.  
  
Padmé hugged her. "I can't stop him from doing whatever he decides to do. But really, I don't think he's going to make you get rid of it."  
  
"I hope not."  
  
"He's probably happy about it, Mara, and he might be just as nervous as you are about becoming a parent. Don't expect him to actually say so, though."  
  
"I don't."  
  
Padmé smiled again. "You're a very sweet girl, Mara. I know you don't want to be here, but since you are, I know that Luke chose you because he knows he was supposed to choose you. And I'm glad he did."  
  
"Thank you, Padmé. You and Han and the other girls have been very kind to me."  
  
"We like you," said Padmé. "Good night. Try to get some sleep. Luke and Vader aren't going to be back for a week, so don't be stressed about the baby until then."  
  
"I'll try not to. Good night, Padmé."  
  
----------  
  
Darth Vader called Padmé again, and they talked for a few minutes before she went to bed. He told her that she had been pregnant for almost three months now. Padmé couldn't believe that she hadn't even noticed. Her abdomen was bulging just slightly; she had guessed that maybe she'd put on a few pounds, and with Luke turning to the Dark Side and ruling the galaxy with Vader, Padmé had barely thought about her periods, and hadn't kept track of them.  
  
Mara had been pregnant for only a few weeks; it hadn't yet been five weeks since her and Luke's wedding. Their child would probably be born a couple of months after Vader and Padme's.  
  
At the moment, Luke was inside his father's private chambers on the Star Destroyer. Vader was dressed in his armor, but had taken his mask off for now, since he and Luke were alone.   
  
Sitting inside the egg-shaped chamber, he remembered how, only months ago, he had only been able to breathe for a few minutes in here. He also remembered Padmé seeing his scarred face for the first time, not caring how it looked.  
  
"Padmé told me that Mara knows now," Vader said to Luke.  
  
Luke nodded. "Next time, Father, we should work out a schedule for when we each impregnate our wives."  
  
"Yes, that would be useful," Vader replied, amused. He paused. "Congratulations, son."  
  
"The same to you, Father."  
  
"Since neither of them will be due for several months, I think I may begin some of Tara's training."  
  
"And Leia's?" asked Luke.  
  
"Not yet," answered Vader. "Tara is not a newly-wed, and she already has much useful experience from working for me. She understands what the Force is, but she does not know how to feel it and use it."  
  
Luke nodded. "She will be easier to start with."  
  
----------  
  
It seemed to take forever, but after being away for ten days, Darth Vader and Luke returned home. It was almost midnight when they arrived. Han and Leia were already asleep. Tara's room was quiet; she must be sleeping also.  
  
When Luke entered his room, Mara was lying in bed, awake. She didn't bother pretending to be asleep.  
  
"Hi," she said softly.  
  
Luke was almost surprised that she had actually greeted him. He went over to the bed and sat down next to her.  
  
"Hello," he said. He took off his boots and his shirt, which he simply tossed onto the floor. Mara cleaned their room; she'd pick them up tomorrow.  
  
"So..." Mara said, trying to think of how to bring up the obvious matter that they needed to discuss.  
  
"Let me guess - you think that I want to kill the baby?" asked Luke as he entered the bed. Mara slid over a little to make room for him.  
  
"N-Not in those exact words," she answered.  
  
"I have known that you are pregnant. I would have killed it already if I wanted to," said Luke.  
  
Mara nodded. Luke moved closer to her and kissed her cheek, then her neck.  
  
"I wish you would be more...open...towards me," he said. "You would not be as depressed as you are making yourself."  
  
"It's not my fault that you kidnapped me and took me away from my family," Mara replied.  
  
"Yes, but it is done already. You are my wife now, and you belong to me," Luke whispered into her ear, "and we have a family."  
  
The way he said those words had a strong effect on Mara. She realized that they were entirely true. There was nothing she could do now; she couldn't escape from him...and they did have a family now. And, she had really started to like Padmé, Leia, and Tara. Even if she were able to go back home, she would miss them.  
  
"Luke?" she asked.  
  
Luke kissed her neck again. "Yes?"  
  
"Did you possibly miss me at all - I mean, us, the baby and I - while you were away?"  
  
"Do you think that I am cruel if I do not miss you, yet you do not have to miss me in return?" asked Luke, not answering the question.  
  
"No, I don't think that," Mara said. She almost told him how she'd had trouble sleeping at night, without him holding her, but decided not to.  
  
"So you did miss me," Luke said, looking at her. He had just read her mind.  
  
Both of them were quiet for a moment. Mara sighed. After hesitating at first, rested her head against Luke's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her cheek with one of his hands.  
  
"I wish you were the nice person I thought you were," Mara said softly, closing her eyes. "I had never met anyone like you."  
  
Luke stopped stroking her face. He reached down and touched her abdomen. "You and our child will be happy if you cooperate with me. It is your decision." 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Getting A Little Better

== Chapter Eleven ==  
  
Darth Vader kissed Padme's forehead, then her cheek. She opened her eyes for a moment, but was still tired. Vader reached down and touched her abdomen for a moment.  
  
"Sleep," he said. "I am going out with Tara. We will be back soon."  
  
"Okay," Padmé muttered in a soft, sleepy voice. "I love you."  
  
Vader kissed her forehead again, and her stomach.  
  
----------  
  
When he came downstairs, Tara was in the kitchen. Other than her, no one else seemed to be awake yet. She looked at him for a moment.  
  
"Hi, Daddy," she said.  
  
"You usually do not call me that," said Vader.  
  
He moved closer to Tara and slid his arms around her. She returned the hug. Despite how afraid she was, she realized that she was probably safer here than anywhere else in the galaxy. She let out a sigh that was both tired and stressed, and somewhat melancholy.  
  
Vader let go of her. "I am going to the café in the town. Come with me."  
  
Tara nodded. "Alright."  
  
"Do you mind if we walk?"  
  
"No, but it will take almost an hour to get there, won't it?"  
  
"I do not care. I want to talk with you."  
  
Tara shivered. "Are you angry with me?"  
  
"No."  
  
----------  
  
The sun was still rising; it was still a little dark outside, especially when Tara and Vader entered the shade of the trees. There were a few silent minutes before Vader finally spoke.  
  
"Tara," he said, "I have felt that you have been troubled lately."  
  
"So have Leia and Mom and Han," Tara replied, "and Mara."  
  
"Yes, I know, but I would like to hear what is bothering you, in your own words."  
  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"Tell me."  
  
Tara sighed. "My life is...I don't know...it's been changing so fast."  
  
"How so?" asked Vader.  
  
"Well, there's Luke joining you, that's obvious," Tara answered. "Now he's married and he's going to be a father - not that I have anything against Mara; I like her a lot. And I know that Luke chose to join you, but there were only a few days where I really was able to know him, before he turned."  
  
"That is understandable," said Vader, silently noting how much Tara's beautiful, accented voice sounded like Shmi Skywalker's. "Go on."  
  
"Well, the same with Leia. I have only really known her for a little more than four months. Now she's married and she's going to be busy with Han. I am happy for her, though."  
  
Vader nodded. "And the fact that Padmé and I are having another child is also a change for you?"  
  
"Yes," Tara answered in a softer, nervous voice.  
  
"Your mother and I have never overlooked you."  
  
"I didn't think that you did."  
  
They were both quiet for a moment, then Vader said, "Tara, if you wish, I would like to start helping you."  
  
Tara looked at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"With the Force," answered Vader.  
  
"Oh," said Tara. "I was interested in that."  
  
"Why haven't you told me? Or Luke?"  
  
"I thought you were both busy - being the new rulers of the galaxy and everything - plus, Luke has a new wife and is going to be a father. So are you, again."  
  
"Padmé is not due for almost six months, and I do have time to help you," said Vader.  
  
"Thank you, Daddy," Tara replied. They both stopped walking for a moment, and Vader placed one of his hands on her shoulder.  
  
"Tara, I have been wanting to ask you something," he said. "That night - when I first found you - why were you bleeding?"  
  
Tara realized that she hadn't even told him the whole story yet, so she did. She told him about her and Oola going to Aiva and Arika's birthday party on Coruscant - which had also been Tara's own birthday - the panicking and fighting that had started at the hotel, everything.  
  
They ended up not going into town, but walked around the woods for a little while as she talked, and then returned to the house. Tara almost couldn't believe it; she had never opened up this much and told so many of her feelings and inner conflicts to Vader.  
  
----------  
  
Luke entered the living room and went to Padmé, who was standing near one of the windows, looking outside. He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart," Padmé said softly, squeezing one of his hands, the prosthetic one, for a moment.  
  
"How are you doing?" Luke asked.  
  
"Better. I think I'm finished with getting sick in the mornings," answered Padmé. "How is Mara?"  
  
"She is sleeping."  
  
Just then, they both heard the front door of the house opening. Tara and Vader were back. Luke reached down and kissed the top of Padme's head, then followed her as she went to see them.  
  
Padmé hugged Tara, then she and Vader went upstairs to their room, leaving Tara alone with Luke.  
  
"Hi," Tara said softly.  
  
"Did Father talk to you?" asked Luke.  
  
"About helping me with the Force stuff? Yes," answered Tara. "And I'm going with you next time, when you go to the Star Destroyer."  
  
Luke nodded. After a moment, he reached down and kissed her cheek, surprising her, then went to his and Mara's room.  
  
----------  
  
The next month passed somewhat quickly. Darth Vader, Tara, and Luke went to the Star Destroyer four times, though each of those times, they weren't gone for more than two or three days. Leia and Han were very, very careful that Leia didn't get pregnant, as well, since there were already two new babies on the way.  
  
Luke and Mara's marriage was improving very slowly, since Mara remembered Luke's advice - if she cooperated, she and their baby would be happy. Secretly, though, she seriously doubted that he would be able to hurt his own unborn child.  
  
Mara was still quiet most of the time, but once or twice, she and Luke had a conversation, usually about the baby. He told her that if it was a male, it was going to be named after his father. Mara didn't argue, and she wondered if that meant the baby's name would be Anakin or Vader, but didn't ask.  
  
Dinner, every night, became better. Before, everyone was quiet while they ate, and a chill was always in the room. Mara didn't want to be in the same room as Darth Vader. Han did not want to be near Vader, and could hardly stand to be around Luke. Leia and Tara were both nervous around Vader and Luke, although Tara and Vader were somewhat closer.  
  
But now, Mara and Padmé and Leia would talk about the babies, which made every evening have a little less silent torture. Tara remained mostly quiet. Vader guessed that she wasn't as much of a "baby person" as the other girls.  
  
One night, after the first day of Padme's fourth month of pregnancy, Vader found her laying in bed, with a few tears running down her face, when he entered the room. He lay down next to her, pressing his cheek against hers. He read her mind for a moment.  
  
"You are crying for Anakin again?" he asked.  
  
Padmé began shivering. During the past month, he hit her much more carefully - sometimes it hardly even hurt - not wanting to do too much damage to her and possibly to the baby.  
  
"He's..." she whispered, not finishing the sentence.  
  
"...gone, Padmé," said Vader. "But isn't it nice that he lets me play with his wife?"  
  
After saying that, he kissed a spot near her ear that was slightly ticklish. Padmé giggled.  
  
"Yes," she said. Then she sighed. "I am...afraid. This will be the first time we have ever raised a baby to adulthood...I hope I will know what to do."  
  
"I am with you, Padmé. We will be able to do it," Vader whispered into her ear. Then he added, "And this time, I will be allowed to watch our child's birth."  
  
That hurt more than any time he had ever hit or choked Padmé, and he knew it.  
  
"If I could go back," she said softly, "I would change that. I would have joined you when you became a Sith."  
  
"I know," Vader said, kissing the spot near her ear again. "And now we are together now."  
  
{ Anakin isn't here, and our son is a Sith. } Padmé thought.  
  
But she nodded and whispered, "I love you."  
  
Vader rested his prosthetic hand on her stomach, which was a little bigger now. She smiled and placed her hand over his, and kissed his cheek. 


	12. Chapter Twelve: Any Ideas?

== Chapter Twelve ==  
  
The next morning, while Darth Vader and Luke were in town, Padmé asked Leia to gather everyone, so that they could discuss something. Leia did so and she, her mother, Han, Tara, and Mara met went to Tara's room.  
  
"I was thinking," said Padmé. "We are all wondering how to turn Luke and Vader back to good."  
  
"Yes," said Tara.  
  
"Did you have an idea?" Leia asked.  
  
"Not exactly," answered Padmé, "but I was thinking about the babies. Perhaps, when Luke and Vader see them, it might help to begin turning them back. We can't try to do it in one day."  
  
"That's true," said Mara.  
  
"Hey, I gotta question," said Han. "Vader convinced Luke to turn, right?"  
  
"I think that he did, but it seems like Luke also wanted to do it," answered Padmé. "None of us want to ask them exactly what happened."  
  
Han nodded. "Alright, but to me, it seems that if you turn Vader back, Luke will turn with him."  
  
"I was thinking the same thing," said Mara. "And your baby is due first, Padmé. Maybe when Vader sees it, he might be...I don't know...touched, at least?"  
  
"Of course he will," said Tara, her voice suddenly sounding a little defensive. "Have you seen how...nice....he can be to me, and to Leia, when she actually talks to him?"  
  
"Hey!" Leia said.  
  
"I'm sorry," Mara said softly, apologetically to Tara.  
  
"Don't fight," Padmé said, closing her eyes for a moment, then opening them again. She sighed. "I guess that's all we can do for right now - hope that the babies have some effect on Vader and Luke."  
  
Everyone agreed with that, and they also saw how tired Padmé looked. Then, they heard the house's front door opening, and all of them left the room.  
  
Luke had said that he and Vader were taking Padmé and Mara to their doctor later when they came back from town. Neither of the girls wanted to find out the genders of the babies. Their husbands didn't seem to care either way.  
  
"I hope that at least one of us is having a boy," Mara said to Padmé as they went to the living room.  
  
"I know. There's three boys and four girls in the house," Padmé replied. "I think you're going to be a good mother, Mara, and I'm here to help you. Don't worry."  
  
----------  
  
Carie, the doctor, had always reminded Padmé a little of Shmi Skywalker, with her dark brown hair, which was starting to turn grey. Her eyes were green, though. She was fifty now, and had helped Padmé when she was pregnant with Tara. Carie's small office was specifically for pregnant women and babies, and had a private, cozy feel. There were only four examination rooms. It was much safer than going to a larger, more public hospital.  
  
"Everything looks great for both of you," she said after doing both Mara and Padme's examinations. "Padmé, are you sure that you don't want to know your baby's gender? I think you're far enough along to find out."  
  
Padmé shook her head. "No, thanks."  
  
----------  
  
That night, while laying awake in bed, Mara softly said, "Luke?"  
  
"Yes?" He was lying close to her, but wasn't holding her.  
  
"Could I have a kiss?"  
  
Luke was a little surprised by her request, but reached over and kissed her. He slid his hand under the blankets and touched her stomach.  
  
"Please tell me how you feel about him," Mara whispered, her mouth brushing against Luke's cheek. "Anything."  
  
"So you are guessing that it is a male now?" asked Luke.  
  
"No. I just don't want to keep calling it an 'it'."  
  
Luke pulled her closer to him. She hesitated, but kissed his cheek. He began kissing her neck, then her throat and shoulder.  
  
----------  
  
Mara was shivering, and Luke gave her the shirt he'd been wearing. After she put it on, he pulled her close again and held her. Within a few minutes, she was asleep. She thought that she heard Luke whisper something to her, but the next morning, she couldn't remember what it was. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Moving Out

Author's Note: I am going to update Black Rose soon, for those of you who are reading that. Also, I deleted my We Are Family story because it was my first fanfiction, and it really sucked for a lot of reasons. I might re-write a new version of it soon, like I'm doing with Black Rose, after I finish one of my current stories.  
  
== Chapter Thirteen ==  
  
One night, a few days after Padme's fifth month of pregnancy started, Darth Vader awoke when he heard her crying softly.  
  
"Anakin..." she said. Her voice was soft, but sounded frantic. "Where...are you?"  
  
Vader realized that she was having a nightmare, and had to be sympathetic, since he'd had plenty of them before. He kissed her cheek, then her mouth. It was enough to wake her up. She looked at him with worried, sad eyes.  
  
"You were having a nightmare," said Vader.  
  
Padmé sighed. "Oh. I don't even remember it...I'm sorry for waking you up."  
  
Vader touched her stomach. "Carie told Luke and I what it is."  
  
"The baby's gender?"  
  
"Yes. Would you like to know?"  
  
Padmé hesitated, but said, "Okay...but I don't want to tell anyone else."  
  
"As you wish," said Vader.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"A girl."  
  
Padmé smiled. "Another one? Do you know what Mara's baby is?"  
  
"No. It is too early to tell," Vader answered.  
  
"Oh." Padmé was suddenly not tired at all, and judging from the time on chrono on one of the bedroom walls, the sun would begin rising in an hour or so.  
  
"What are we going to name her?" she asked Vader.  
  
"We do not have to think about that yet," he replied. "What do you have in mind?"  
  
"Ana is a pretty name," said Padmé. { Ana, from Anakin. }  
  
"No, Padmé."  
  
"It was worth a try."  
  
"You already named our son after him."  
  
"Vader," Padme's voice was meek, "when you are in a good mood - a really good one - I have to ask you something about Anakin. Please?"  
  
"Ask me now. You have already annoyed me," said Vader.  
  
Padmé sighed. They had been having a touching moment before she'd suggested naming the baby Ana. She hadn't been completely serious about that, either.  
  
"Now, Padmé."  
  
"Did I have anything to do with his turning?"  
  
Vader was quiet at first, then answered, "Not in a negative way."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Padmé.  
  
"Leave me alone." Vader removed his hand from her stomach and shifted, turning away from her.  
  
"I'm sorry," Padmé whispered.  
  
Vader didn't respond, and she decided that it was best to not say anything else. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep again.  
  
----------  
  
When Padmé opened her eyes again, she looked at the chrono on the wall. She had only been sleeping for a couple of hours. It was morning now. Vader was not lying next to her, but she heard the shower running inside their bathroom.  
  
She slowly got out of bed and went to the walk-in closet, picking out a dark purple dress that Anakin had bought her when she was almost five months pregnant with Leia and Luke. After brushing her hair, she straightened the blankets and pillows on the bed. She considered going downstairs, in case Vader was still annoyed with her - and she thought he had a right to be - but changed her mind and decided to try apologizing to him again, if he seemed to be in a better mood. Otherwise, she'd just stay quiet.  
  
She went to the small black couch across from the bed and sat down.  
  
{ "An angel...they live on the moons of Iego, I think." }  
  
"Padmé?"  
  
Padmé looked up at Darth Vader as he came over to the couch. He sat next to her, putting one arm around her neck and shoulders.  
  
"I love you," Padmé said. "I'm sorry about last night."  
  
Vader said something in Huttese that she didn't understand. She looked at him. He kissed her cheek and didn't translate.  
  
----------  
  
Mara was finally starting to feel better; she'd stopped getting sick every morning. She was also showing, just a little. Padmé had told her that she'd gladly share some of her maternity clothes with her once she was bigger.  
  
Sometimes, Luke would touch Mara's stomach, but overall he wasn't acting anymore excited or happy about the baby. Mara secretly thought that would change, or at least, she hoped so.  
  
Tara and Padmé were in the kitchen when Mara entered.  
  
"You speak Huttese, right, Tara?" Padmé was asking.  
  
"Of course. I'm a Tattooine native," answered Tara.  
  
"What does..." Padmé did her best to repeat the words that Vader had said to her earlier, "...mean?"  
  
"That means 'I love you'."  
  
Padmé smiled, then looked at Mara. "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning," said Mara. "Are we going to the doctor again later?"  
  
"Yes. Luke's taking us."  
  
Leia entered the kitchen, followed by Han.  
  
"Glad you're all here," said Leia.  
  
Tara looked at her. "Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," said Han.  
  
"Luke told me that Han and I can move out if we want to," Leia answered. "There's some house that's empty now. It's close to the town. We won't be that far away."  
  
"I can't believe they're letting you do that," said Mara.  
  
Han shrugged. "It's not that far away, like Leia said. If we actually tried to escape, Luke and Vader would know about it almost immediately."  
  
"They wouldn't feel my presence," Leia added.  
  
Padmé went over to her and hugged her. "I know, I know."  
  
"Mom, there's going to be two new babies in the house. You'll need an extra room," Leia assured her. "And this way, Chewbacca and the droids can be near us again."  
  
"That's true," Padmé said. She sighed. "Alright, but you have to call us, and come over sometimes."  
  
Leia returned the hug. "Of course we will." 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Isabelle

Author's note: This chapter moves sort of fast, but the next one will be better.  
  
== Chapter Fourteen ==  
  
Three days later, Han and Leia were in their new house. That day was Mara's nineteenth birthday, although she didn't tell anyone except Padmé and Tara. And, as if two babies coming weren't enough, Padmé was secretly starting to worry about Tara.  
  
Before, Tara had been just as worried and serious, about turning Darth Vader and Luke to good again, as Leia, Han, Mara, and Padmé were. But lately, since she had often been going to the Star Destroyer with her father and brother, and Vader had been working with her, she seemed to be less bothered by the possibility of not being able to turn them back. She still obviously cared, but she seemed to believe that if they tried turning Vader and Luke, and it didn't work, then they should just learn to live with it.  
  
Padmé sighed. She couldn't let it bother her. Tara was probably just glad that she and Vader were starting to have a decent relationship, and realized that she should be glad, as well. Leia was still a little cautious around Vader. It was good that at least one of their daughters was making an attempt to be close with him. In fact, that might help when Padmé and the others tried to turn him and Luke.  
  
That night, the five of them went out to a restaurant. Padmé had asked Vader if they could, but hadn't given away the fact that it was Mara's birthday.  
  
----------  
  
Padmé was lucky that her water broke at a very convenient time.  
  
One afternoon, all of them - her, Luke, Vader, Mara, and Tara were going to the doctor again, for Mara's examination. She was a little over six months pregnant now. Luke stayed inside the room with her while the others waited outside. Lately, he wouldn't let her out of his sight, and she seemed to be glad for that.  
  
"Everything looks well," Carie said as Luke and Mara followed her out of the room.  
  
"Carie!" Padmé exclaimed when she saw them.  
  
Carie saw the small puddle of clear fluid on the floor. "Calm down. We'll go to over to one of the delivery rooms. Aren't you glad that this happened here?"  
  
"Yes," Padmé said in a relieved voice. She looked at Tara, Mara, and Luke. "Why don't you go back to the house for now? This could take hours."  
  
"Mom..." Tara said softly.  
  
Luke touched her shoulder. "Come."  
  
Tara and Mara both stared at Padmé for a moment, then left. Padmé held Vader's arm as Carie led them to one of the delivery rooms.  
  
Vader sent a thought to Padme's mind. { I am not going to leave you. }  
  
{ I know. Don't worry, it's the third time I've given birth. I know what I'm doing. }  
  
She was trying to assure herself as much as Vader, who of course did not appear frightened or nervous at all. He remained calm and patient as always, as if this was not a big event at all.  
  
Inside, he was hardly thinking about the baby. As long as Padmé was alright, then he would be happy.  
  
----------  
  
Mara, Luke, and Tara were inside Tara's bedroom.  
  
"I thought that Mom's baby wasn't due for almost another month," said Tara.  
  
Mara shrugged and sat next to Tara on the bed. "It's coming early."  
  
"I hope it'll be okay," Tara replied. She looked at Luke. "Luke, aren't you worried, or anything?"  
  
"No," Luke answered.  
  
Tara sighed. "Why not? She's our mother."  
  
"She is fine."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"Why are you assuming that something is wrong?"  
  
Mara wished that they wouldn't argue. She looked down at her own stomach. The baby kicked her. She hoped that her husband would have at least a little concern for her when she went into labor. Their marriage had noticeably improved, but they still did not always talk much, and he would still hit her or choke her for a moment, though he was much more careful now.  
  
It seemed to Mara that Luke was conflicted between his darkness and whatever part of him was still good. Sometimes he would touch her stomach, or ask her how she was feeling, sounding as if he actually did care, but then turn away, or tell her to shut up when she tried to talk to him.  
  
Once, while they were laying awake in bed, she'd reached over and tried to kiss him. It had almost surprised him, since she had never started any of their kisses. He returned it for a moment, gently rubbing her back as well. Then he suddenly pushed her away and told her to stop bothering him.  
  
"One of us should call Leia and Han," said Tara, bringing Mara back to the present.  
  
"No. Let's wait until after the baby is here," Mara suggested. Her baby kicked her again, and she took one of her sister-in-law's hands, pressing it to her stomach. "Feel that."  
  
Tara laughed. "Wow."  
  
Mara looked at Luke for a moment, hoping he would come over and try to feel the baby's kicking as well, but he stayed where he was.  
  
"Have you changed your mind about finding out if it's a boy or a girl?" Tara asked Mara.  
  
"No. I want to be surprised," she answered.  
  
"What about you, Luke?" asked Tara.  
  
"He doesn't care," said Mara.  
  
----------  
  
Padme's dream was more of a flashback, but it was still quite peaceful.  
  
She and Anakin were in her Coruscant apartment, which she had recently decided to move out of. She was going to stay in her parents' house on Naboo. Anakin had come to help her pack some of her things, and was going to be with her for the next week before having to return to the Jedi temple. Their two-month anniversary also happened to be during this week, so the timing had been good.  
  
"I am surprised that more of your clothes aren't here," Anakin said, standing just outside of the open closet as Padmé took the last couple of dresses out.  
  
"I already moved some of them the other day. They're at the house," Padmé said as she tried to walk past him. He slid one of his arms around her waist and pulled her close.  
  
She let go of the dresses she was holding, not caring that they fell to the floor.  
  
"I love you," she said softly.  
  
"I love you, too," Anakin replied, reaching down to kiss the top of her head. "I am glad that you are going to live on Naboo."  
  
"So am I. I do not like Coruscant," said Padmé. "And it will be easier for you to visit me."  
  
Anakin started to say something, but she didn't hear what it was. She was waking up.  
  
----------  
  
She was glad to see Vader first, before anything else. He was standing next to her bed.  
  
"An-- I mean...sweetheart..." Padmé said softly, careful not to say "Vader" aloud. She remembered that they were at Carie's office.  
  
Vader stroked her cheek, not angry about her almost saying Anakin's name.  
  
"What time is it?" Padmé asked him. She kissed his hand, and looked around the small room. There was no one else in here.  
  
"Almost midnight."  
  
"What happened? I fell asleep."  
  
"Carie thought it would be best to operate on you than for you to go into labor, because of your age," Vader filled her in.  
  
"Oh," Padmé said. Slowly, she sat up a little. "Where is the baby? Is she okay?"  
  
"Yes. Carie is bringing her, and then we will go home," answered Vader. He reached down and kissed her forehead.  
  
"I love you," Padmé said in Huttese.  
  
Vader said the same thing and added another word, which probably meant "too". Padmé smiled at him.  
  
----------  
  
Tara had tried to stay up at late as she could last night, but finally had to get some sleep.  
  
The next morning, when she went downstairs, everyone else was already in the living room. Padmé was sitting in the comfortable black armchair, holding the baby.  
  
"Good morning, sweetheart," she said to Tara.  
  
"Hi," Tara replied, sitting next to Vader on one of the couches. "Is it a boy or a girl?"  
  
"A girl," Mara answered. "What's her name? You said you would tell us when Tara came."  
  
"Isabelle Star Jobal Vader," Padmé replied.  
  
"That's so pretty," said Tara. Looking at her sleeping little sister, she saw that her hair was dark brown, like Padme's. "What color are her eyes?"  
  
"Blue." Padmé kissed Isabelle's forehead. "Han and Leia are coming over tomorrow night to see her." 


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Visit

== Chapter Fifteen ==  
  
The next evening, before Han and Leia arrived, Padmé found Luke in the living room. Holding Isabelle close, she went to him.  
  
"Hello, sweetheart," she said. "Is Mara okay? She didn't look well earlier."  
  
"She is fine." Luke reached down and kissed the top of Padme's head, then gently touched Isabelle's cheek. The baby continued sleeping.  
  
"You haven't touched her since she was born. Do you like her?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Padmé smiled again, a more sad smile this time. She quietly said, "I was just wondering. You don't like Tara and Leia very much."  
  
Luke looked at her, knowing that she did not actually believe those words, but was saying it to see if he cared or would object. She stared back at him for a moment, with that distant, sad look in her eyes.  
  
Fortunately, neither of them had to speak. Isabelle suddenly began crying. Padmé left the room.  
  
----------  
  
When Han and Leia arrived, Leia spent almost five minutes cooing over Isabelle and cuddling her. Then she gave her back to Padmé and told Han to go ahead and follow the others into the kitchen, so that she could talk to her father for a moment.  
  
That surprised Darth Vader, but he did not sense that anything was wrong with Leia. As soon as they were alone, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Daddy?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I-I heard a rumor or two that the Empire sent some kind of chemicals to a city on one of the Yavin planets."  
  
"Medicine, yes," Vader replied.  
  
"Medicine?" Leia looked at him. "Why?"  
  
"They had a shortage of it."  
  
"So you...helped them?"  
  
"Do I need to repeat what I just said?" Vader asked, purposely adding a tone of annoyance.  
  
"N-No," said Leia. She could not believe this - it had only been nine or ten months since Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker had taken over the Empire, and they were actually doing something good. Then again, as Tara had once pointed out to her, they had not committed very many horrible acts, either.  
  
Vader pulled her close, gently, and hugged her. "There will be a few changes coming soon, Leia."  
  
"Good or bad ones?" Leia whispered, resting her face against his chest.  
  
"That will depend on how you view them."  
  
He let go of her, and she stared at him for a moment before they went to the kitchen to join the others. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Giving Up

== Chapter Sixteen ==  
  
When Darth Vader awoke during the night, just before midnight, Padmé was not lying next to him.  
  
He stood and went next door to Leia's old room, which was now Isabelle's. Padmé was sitting in the dark red armchair next to the crib, holding the baby close and softly hushing her. She looked up as Vader approached.  
  
"I think she just doesn't want to sleep right now," she said. "She's not hungry, and I just changed her."  
  
"Give her to me," Vader said.  
  
Padmé stood and gently handed Isabelle to him. She had never worried about Vader being careful with their new daughter; she knew how gentle he could be when he wanted. Isabelle stopped most of her fussing and comfortably snuggled into her father's arms.  
  
"She must have just wanted to see you, then," said Padmé, smiling at the touching scene. No one else saw Vader like this. Not even Luke, Leia, Mara, or Tara had yet seen him holding Isabelle.  
  
"I am sorry that your plan did not work," Vader said.  
  
Padmé looked at him. "My plan?"  
  
"You thought that once I saw Isabelle, I would change." Vader gently set Isabelle down inside her crib.  
  
"I didn't really believe that she would have any effect on you," Padmé said, sitting down on the red armchair. "But I thought that for a moment, perhaps..."  
  
"You would see Anakin again?"  
  
Now that Vader was not holding the baby, his hands were free, and he could hit Padmé. She nodded nervously.  
  
"I think," she said softly, staring down at the floor, "that I have finally given up on Anakin ever returning."  
  
"I did not ever expect to hear that," Vader admitted. "You have been so persistent about it for over twenty years."  
  
Padmé let out a tired sigh. "I don't know what else I can do. Anakin is dead, like you have been telling me. I love you now, Darth Vader. As long as I am with you, then I am going to be fine."  
  
Vader knew that she was not fine. She wanted Anakin back, even though she had been honest about giving up on him returning. She did not want her son to be a Sith, her daughter-in-law depressed, and did not want Tara to possibly become a Sith in the next couple of years as well.  
  
He reached out his hand to help Padmé stand up, and they went back to their bedroom without saying a word.  
  
She could not remain quiet for long, though. As soon as they were in bed, she broke into cold tears. Vader said nothing and pulled her close, resting his cheek against hers. He did not mind her tears getting him wet; this was definately not the first time that she had started crying at night because of Anakin, and he knew it wasn't going to be the last. Each time, though, he was there to stop her crying, if he did not do anything to add to it.  
  
His lips brushed against her face as he whispered, "I am pleased that you are completely mine now. I have been waiting a long time."  
  
"I still love An-- him," Padmé whispered back.  
  
"I know. I have no intention of trying to stop that."  
  
Vader kissed the spot near Padme's ear that was sort of ticklish, and she could not stop herself from smiling. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Don't Tell Tara

== Chapter Seventeen ==  
  
Padmé only told Mara, in the living room the next morning, about her giving up on trying to turn Darth Vader back into Anakin Skywalker. The words affected her daughter-in-law more than she had expected.  
  
"Why?" Mara whispered. "You have always kept the rest of us from giving up on them. You were so determined."  
  
Padmé shrugged. "Face it, Mara. There is not really anything that we can do. Isabelle's birth didn't help. Vader is still cold, and Luke hardly looks at her. He's barely shown any emotion about his own child coming."  
  
Mara looked down at her large stomach and nodded quietly. "Is this some kind of reverse psychology that you're using on them?"  
  
"No, it isn't."  
  
"You honestly think that we cannot do anything?"  
  
"Mara," said Padmé, "I do not mean to sound hurtful when I say this, but why are you so devastated? You didn't even know Luke back when he was a Jedi, so you have not lost anything."  
  
"But I know that he is a good person inside," Mara protested. "I saw it when I met him, before he captured me. He used to come into my store and talk to me sometimes. He really did like me. It was not just an act."  
  
"He was already planning to capture you when he was acting that way," Padmé said, emphasizing the word "acting". She paused, then admitted, "He never did tell me why he wanted you to be his - maybe he explained it to Vader; I don't know. But I doubt that he fell in love with you."  
  
"He's told you that he doesn't love me?" Mara looked down at her stomach again. The baby kicked her, but she said nothing about it.  
  
"No. He hasn't talked to me about whether or not he loves you. But I don't think that he does."  
  
"I cannot believe you are saying that about him."  
  
"Mara, Luke is my little boy. He can't do anything about that, whether he is a Sith or not," said Padmé. "But since he is a Sith, and my husband is, I can tell you from experience that it's extremely difficult to even make them think of their old lives, or turning back. We know how they act when we simply mention them."  
  
Mara nodded again. Both of them, right now, had make-up-covered bruises to show for that.  
  
"But Luke cares about you," she told Padmé, "and I know that he cares about his sisters. Do you not believe that?"  
  
Padmé sighed. "I do believe that, Mara. I am sorry; I may have just said some things that I shouldn't have. But I still don't know how to try anymore."  
  
Mara was quiet, then said, "You are my friend. So are Leia and Tara, and I adore Isabelle."  
  
Padmé smiled faintly, just for a moment.  
  
"You are right - I don't have as much to do with this as the rest of you," Mara added. "But before you gave up on Luke and Vader, I was still hoping that they could be turned back because of you, and your children."  
  
"Thank you, sweetheart," said Padmé. "For now, though, let's not do anything. You are going to have your baby in two or three months, and I don't want you to be burdened with more stress than usual."  
  
Mara nodded. "Okay."  
  
"And don't tell Leia and Tara that we had this conversation."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I want Leia and Han to enjoy their marriage as much as they possibly can right now."  
  
"What about Tara?"  
  
"She has been acting a little different lately," Padmé answered. Seeing the expression that came onto Mara's face, she added, "No, I don't think that she's turning. But she has been different. Just don't tell her any of this."  
  
"I won't," Mara replied.  
  
Neither of them were aware that Tara, standing in the hall, had just overheard every word. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Relieved

== Chapter Eighteen ==  
  
After overhearing the conversation between her mother and sister-in-law, Tara was not sure if she wanted to be sad or angry. Perhaps she felt both. She turned, to go back to her room, and saw Luke standing behind her.  
  
"Did you hear all of that?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes," he answered.  
  
Tara sighed. "They think I'm going to be like you and Dad."  
  
"Is it really that horrible?" Luke came closer and surprised her by pulling her close, into his arms.  
  
"Not to you, I guess." Tara rested her face against his chest and closed her eyes. Still whispering, she asked, "Are we going to the Star Destroyer today?"  
  
"Yes. You are coming with us," Luke answered. He paused. "Father and I have already discussed you several times."  
  
"What about me? Making me into a Sith?" asked Tara.  
  
"Again, you make it sound so horrible. I used to think the same way you do," Luke said, lightly stroking her cheek. It made her shiver. "But how miserable am I now?"  
  
"You weren't miserable before, were you?"  
  
"I was ignorant. I had only believed what opinions Yoda and Obi-Wan told me." Luke let go of his little sister. "We will talk about this more later."  
  
----------  
  
The next day, near early evening, Tara was almost smirking when she entered one of Darth Vader's chambers on the Star Destroyer. Like Luke, she easily acted the same around her father whether he was or was not wearing the armor.  
  
"He is on Coruscant," Tara said to her father and Luke. She had just returned from tracking a man that used to be one of Palpatine's agents. "It took me less than an hour to find him."  
  
"That is all?" Luke asked.  
  
"A lot of people who are trying to hide will go to Coruscant," Tara replied, "because they think that since it is such a large planet, with a huge population, that it is easy to blend in."  
  
"Well done." Luke reached down and kissed Tara's forehead.  
  
"Thank you." She smiled for a moment, then looked at both him and Vader. "Could we talk now? The three of us?"  
  
"What are you referring to?" Vader asked.  
  
"What you two are planning to do with me," answered Tara.  
  
"Later. After we return home," said Luke.  
  
"You are both frightening me."  
  
"We always do," Vader said.  
  
Tara sighed. She was about to reply, but her comlink started beeping. Since only her family members knew the number, she went ahead and answered it in front of Vader and Luke.  
  
"Hi, Mom," she said after the caller greeted her. She was quiet for several moments. "What? Is she okay? Oh, good. I'll tell them. We should be home in a few hours."  
  
She turned off the comlink.  
  
"Leia and Han came over earlier to the house earlier this morning, and Mara started having a miscarriage...but they took her to Carie's office in time, so she and..." Tara paused, looking at Vader and Luke, "...both of the babies are fine."  
  
"Good," said Luke. He managed to keep worry from showing in his voice.  
  
"Why didn't you tell her that she was having twins?" Tara asked.  
  
"I do not know," Luke answered.  
  
Tara was relieved that he and Vader forgot, for now, about her possible future as a Sith. Less than half-an-hour later, the three of them took her ship and left the Star Destroyer. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen: I Love You

== Chapter Nineteen ==  
  
Padmé was the only one at Carie's hospital, with Mara, when Darth Vader, Luke, and Tara arrived. She told them that Han and Leia had left about an hour ago. Mara was awake, but looked exhausted. Tara hugged her sister-in-law, then she, Vader, and Padmé left.  
  
"Thank you for coming," Mara said softly, once she and Luke were alone in the small room. Not expecting him to respond with any caring words, she went on. "You probably knew I was having twins."  
  
"Yes," Luke said. He came closer to the bed.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me? Did you want me to be surprised or something?" asked Mara.  
  
Luke reached over and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "I suppose. Are both of them alive?"  
  
"Yes," Mara answered. "But I heard one of the nurses saying that they're both very small. I didn't even get to see them yet. Carie says they will probably have to stay here for at least two months...if both of them live that long."  
  
"Are they boys or girls?"  
  
Mara sighed. "I asked her not to tell us until we can take them home, so that I'll know that they'll both be okay."  
  
"I understand," Luke replied. "When can you go home?"  
  
"In a few days." Mara sighed again. "This was the second-most scariest day of my whole life."  
  
"What was the first?"  
  
"When you captured me."  
  
"I thought so." Luke sat on the edge of the bed, and reached over and kissed her. It seemed to make her only more sad. He said nothing and kissed her again.  
  
"Do you have to leave again?" Mara asked.  
  
"Not for two weeks."  
  
----------  
  
The next day, and the day after that, Padmé and Tara came to see Mara in the afternoons and evenings. Luke did not come with them.  
  
Finally, Carie said that Mara could go home, if she stayed in bed for the next couple of days. Both of the new twins were still alive for now, but Mara did not want to get her hopes up.  
  
As horrible and selfish as she felt, Tara was glad that Mara's miscarriage had temporarily distracted Padmé from worrying if she was going to be a Sith. She knew that she needed to be concerned for her nephews or nieces - whichever the babies were - but the conversation she had overheard still hurt her.  
  
{ If it hurts me so much, then at least I know I'm far from being capable of becoming cold and dark. } she thought.  
  
Finally, she could not stand it. After Mara came home, and was resting in her and Luke's bedroom, Tara went to look for Padmé. She found her in the kitchen.  
  
"Hi, Mom," she said softly.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart." Padmé hugged her. "Are you alright? I'm sorry if it seems like I've been ignoring you the past couple of days."  
  
"I understand." Tara paused. "Do you think that I'm evil?"  
  
Padmé stared at her. "What? No, of course not. Why would you ask that?"  
  
Tara shrugged. "I accidently overheard some of what you and Mara were talking about a few days ago."  
  
Well, it had not really been an accident, and she had overheard all of it, but she left that out.  
  
"Tara, I...I'm sorry. I should have told you those things instead of Mara," Padmé told her as she hugged her again.  
  
"Were you going to tell me?"  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
Tara sighed. "Mom, I know I shouldn't be bothering you about this when we already have enough to worry about, with the twins and everything, but can I tell you something?"  
  
"Of course," Padmé said.  
  
Tara hesitated. "I wasn't ever extremely close with Kitster. I liked him and we got along fine, but he never felt like a real father to me. Darth Vader is the only man that has felt like one to me, and he really is my father."  
  
That touched Padmé; she almost wanted to cry. "I'm sorry, Tara. I am happy that the two of you are so close. I used to worry that me and Vader's children would never have a decent relationship with him."  
  
"Well, we do now. Except for maybe Leia," said Tara.  
  
Padmé nodded. "I know. But she loves him; she's still in the process of realizing it."  
  
----------  
  
That night, while lying next to Luke, Mara softly asked him if was still awake.  
  
"Yes," he answered.  
  
Mara was quiet, then said, "I love you."  
  
"What?" Luke meant to sound more annoyed than surprised. Carefully, he turned her over so that she was facing him.  
  
"I-I have wanted to tell you that for almost a month now," Mara replied softly.  
  
"Then why haven't you?"  
  
"I didn't know if you would care." Mara tried to turn away again, but Luke held her and kept her from doing so.  
  
"You do not know until you tell me," he said, his lips brushing against her cheek.  
  
"Do you care? About me, or our children?" Mara asked, sounding as if she wanted to cry, but was trying not to.  
  
It was the first time she had referred to the twins as "our children".  
  
"Yes," Luke replied. "Because I do love you, Mara - but do not be any less afraid of me than you ever have been. It is pathetic that I am actually admitting this."  
  
"No, it isn't," Mara said. "And you still terrify me, don't worry."  
  
"Good. Leave me alone." Luke let go of her, but she didn't turn away. 


	20. Chapter Twenty: Forgetting

I added two chapters for this update. Hope you like them :)  
  
== Chapter Twenty ==  
  
For the next three days, Luke barely spoke to Mara. He was either going down to the house's gym with Vader, or going into town with both Vader and Tara. Most of the time, he would leave without waking Mara up, and come back after she was already asleep. She understood why. After admitting that he loved her, he felt as if he had let his remaining goodness come out for a moment, which he thought was weak.  
  
After those three days, most of Mara's strength had returned. To keep her mind off of her own possibly-dying babies, she spent a lot of time with Padmé and helped her with Isabelle. In case at least one of the twins lived, she would have some baby-care experience. When Kelana and Eryn, her two younger sisters, had been younger, her parents had hired babysitters, so she had never been asked to help out much.  
  
While she and Padmé were alone in the living room one afternoon, Mara told her that Luke had said that he loved her.  
  
"Is that why he hasn't spoken to you much during the last couple of days?" Padmé easily guessed.  
  
She and Mara were sitting on the floor, on a black blanket. Between them, Isabelle looked around with her Darth Vader-like blue eyes, but made no attempts to move. Padmé had told Mara that she was still not quite old enough to start crawling yet.  
  
"I think so," Mara answered. She gently tickled Isabelle's chin. "But don't tell him that I told you."  
  
"I won't."  
  
They both heard the front door of the house opening. Only Tara came into the living room.  
  
"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked her mother and sister-in-law.  
  
"Of course not," said Mara, wondering if Tara was somewhat jealous that she was spending all of this time with Padmé. Then again, it was Tara's own choice to spend a lot of her time with Vader and Luke. Or was it? Mara decided not to worry about that now.  
  
"Hi, Belle," Tara said to her little sister, sitting down on the floor. She looked at Padmé. "Can I hold her?"  
  
"You know that you don't have to ask, Tara," Padmé said.  
  
"I know...but is she going to vomit on me?"  
  
Padmé laughed. "No, she ate about twenty minutes ago and she's not hungry right now. Would you take her upstairs and put her in the crib?"  
  
"Sure." Tara carefully picked up the baby and held her close. Looking at Mara and Padmé, she added, "If you wanted me to leave, you could have said so."  
  
"Tara..." Padmé said, but Tara left the room. She sighed.  
  
"I think she's a little jealous of me spending so much time with you," Mara finally said aloud.  
  
Padmé shrugged. "It's not just that. I've been busy with Isabelle, and before that, Tara was worried that I thought she was turning to the Dark Side. She overheard that conversation we had the other day, before your miscarriage."  
  
"She did?"  
  
"Yes. She asked me if I thought she was evil, and I apologized for it."  
  
"Do you think she's evil, if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
"No, I don't. She worked for Vader since she was fourteen, about three years now, and she was never evil then. She's a darling," answered Padmé. "I never should have suspected her wanting to be a Sith. She's just had a lot to deal with lately, and I guess it's good that she's been bonding with Vader and Luke more."  
  
"What do you mean?" Mara asked. "What's happened to her?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about her behind her back anymore. No offense to you," Padmé said.  
  
"I understand."  
  
----------  
  
Later, when it was almost midnight, Padmé and Vader were still awake. Neither of them were tired; Padmé had just spent almost half-an-hour trying to calm Isabelle down. Finally, after being fed and changed, she went to sleep.  
  
Next door, in their bedroom, the two of them were on the small, black couch near the bed. Padmé was mostly sitting on Vader's lap, but still had to reach up a little to kiss him.  
  
"I love you," she said.  
  
Vader did not say anything, but kissed her again. After a moment, she suddenly moved away, sitting next to him now. Her eyes were wet.  
  
"What is it?" Vader asked, gently pulling her close again.  
  
Padmé didn't answer. She began crying quietly, getting his shirt wet, but he didn't care.  
  
"Tell me," Vader said. It was rare for him to ask twice. If she decided not to answer him, then that was her choice.  
  
"You'll hit me," she finally replied.  
  
"It must be something about Anakin, then."  
  
Padmé nodded. She wiped her face, and regained control of herself. "I'm sorry. Forget that I mentioned it."  
  
Vader read her mind. "You are forgetting him."  
  
"Doesn't that make you happy?"  
  
"Yes, but it causes you pain," Vader said, stroking her cheek, "which disturbs me. There is nothing I can do about it."  
  
"You always make me feel better," Padmé replied.  
  
"Not if it is a problem involving Anakin. Have you still given up on him?"  
  
"Yes. But I'm losing all of my memories of him; they're fading away. That's all that's bothering me. Forget that I mentioned it." Padmé reached up to kiss Vader again.  
  
He returned the kiss for a second, but did not seem entirely pleased.  
  
"Would if bother you if I died?" he asked casually.  
  
"What?" Padmé stared at him, looking as if she were going to start crying again.  
  
"Not dying in that kind of way. You know what I mean."  
  
"You mean," Padmé suggested nervously, "if Anakin was here again and you were gone?"  
  
"Yes," said Vader.  
  
"I love both of you."  
  
"Answer me."  
  
Padmé sighed. "I...guess that I would."  
  
That was a weak answer, and she wanted Vader to hit her for saying it. But he gently let go of her and stood, looking as if he were about to leave.  
  
"W-Where are you going?" Padmé asked. "Please take me with you."  
  
Vader approached her again and touched her cheek. She suddenly felt very tired, and realized, before falling asleep, that he had used a mind trick on her.  
  
----------  
  
When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the bed. Isabelle was crying. Padmé sat up, and saw that she was not inside her and Vader's bedroom. She was in one of the rooms at the lake house; the same one that Anakin had stayed in when she'd overheard his nightmares.  
  
She stood and followed the sound of Isabelle's crying. Vader was standing out on the porch, in the spot where he and Padmé had gotten married. He turned as she approached, and gently gave the baby to her.  
  
"Are you still mad at me?" Padmé asked Vader. Isabelle hushed for now, and closed her eyes.  
  
"I never was," Vader answered.  
  
"I love you," said Padmé. Since she was holding the baby now and Vader would most likely not hit her, she added, "I told Anakin that I was always going to love him, no matter what, and now he is you."  
  
Vader did not look touched, but he hugged her. Isabelle made a babyish gurgle, enjoying being snuggled between her parents.  
  
"Is everyone here?" Padmé asked, smiling at Isabelle.  
  
"Just the three of us," Vader said.  
  
"Does everyone else know that we're here?"  
  
"Yes. I called Luke earlier, before you woke up."  
  
Padmé nodded and kissed the top of Isabelle's head. Looking at Vader again, she asked, "Why did we come here?"  
  
"Isabelle has not been here before," he answered. "We will leave later, if you wish."  
  
"Alright. I am glad that you brought us here."  
  
----------  
  
The next two weeks dragged by, to Mara at least. Luke took her and Padmé to Carie's office once during that time. Carie told them she was sure that both of the twins were going to live, and could possibly go home in almost two more weeks. Mara still did not get excited, and did not want to know if they were boys or girls.  
  
As usual, Luke didn't seem to care. He had not said anything about the babies, and Mara actually didn't blame him, since she herself was trying not to think about them.  
  
Luke and Vader returned to the Star Destroyer. Tara stayed home this time. She wanted to try and improve any of the damage done to her relationship with Padmé, and Mara as well. Truthfully, she had nothing against her sister-in-law.  
  
While Luke and Vader were gone, Leia and Han came over several times. Padmé realized that Leia had not spoken to her father, and Luke, in almost three weeks. She and Han could not avoid them for very long, though. 


	21. Chapter TwentyOne: Finally Here

== Chapter Twenty-One ==  
  
One evening, after he and Darth Vader returned home, Luke walked past Tara's room. The door was half-open. Glancing inside, he saw that she was sitting on the floor. A small container of black nail polish was floating in front of her, several inches off of the floor.  
  
Tara noticed her brother then, and lost her concentration. The bottle dropped to the carpet. Luckily, the cap was tightly on, and none of the polish spilled.  
  
"Come in," she said. She looked mostly embarassed.  
  
Luke came in, closing the door behind him. Tara stood and hugged him.  
  
"I'm glad that you're back," she said softly. "Han and Leia and Mara should be back in a few minutes."  
  
"Where did they go?" Luke asked, still holding her.  
  
"To Carie's office, to see how the babies are doing," answered Tara. "Carie said that they can come home in another week."  
  
Luke nodded.  
  
"Where is Dad?"  
  
"He is taking Mother somewhere. They will be back later."  
  
Tara let go of him. "I should probably go check on Isabelle, then."  
  
As they left her room, she was glad that Luke had not mentioned her lifting the bottle of polish. She could not do much more than move small objects, and thought that she was becoming attuned to other Force-strong presences. Half-an-hour ago, before Vader and Luke had reached the house, she had felt a strange, cold shiver. Perhaps it was nothing, but she considered asking her father about it later.  
  
----------  
  
It was almost noon when Mara opened her eyes the next day. Luke was not lying next to her; he and Darth Vader must have gone somewhere.  
  
Suddenly, Mara noticed the black-painted wooden crib that was at the foot of the bed. She smiled and got up, wondering if Luke had actually bought it, or if it was from Padmé. Inside were a few soft, dark red blankets and black pillows.  
  
When Mara entered the living room, after getting dressed, she found Padmé, Tara, and Leia there. Han had not come with Leia.  
  
"Do you like it?" Padmé asked as she hugged Mara.  
  
"The crib? Yes, I love it," answered Mara. "Did you get it?"  
  
"Tara and Leia and I did," said Padmé.  
  
Mara smiled. "Thank you, all of you."  
  
Leia was sitting on the couch, holding Isabelle. Looking down at her, she said, "I hope that Han and I have at least one kid."  
  
"Don't you want to?" asked Mara.  
  
"Yes. We just haven't discussed it yet. I think we're going to wait a couple of years," Leia answered. She kissed Isabelle's forehead, then gave her back to Padmé. "I had better be going."  
  
"Would you stay longer? Vader and Luke will be home soon," said Padmé, holding Isabelle close.  
  
"I told Han I wasn't going to stay long. We're going shopping."  
  
Han wanting to go shopping - that was the lamest excuse that Padmé had ever heard. She knew that Leia was still trying to avoid Vader and Luke. But soon, when the twins came home, she and Han would want to visit them, and then they would have to at least see Luke.  
  
"Call me later," Tara said to Leia, hugging her.  
  
"I will," Leia told her. She hugged Mara and carefully hugged Padmé and Isabelle, then left.  
  
----------  
  
Four days later, the two twins - a boy and a girl - finally came home from Carie's hospital. They were still somewhat small, but were definately doing much better.  
  
The male twin, Vader Tobias Skywalker, had his mother's green eyes and was starting to grow blonde hair. Everyone called him by his middle name. He was almost two minutes older than his sister, Beru Amidala. Beru had blue eyes, like her father, and a little bit of red hair.  
  
Standing near the crib, while Mara was taking a shower, Luke looked at his children. Beru was sleeping. Tobias was awake, but not crying. Luke carefully picked him up.  
  
"Hello, son," he said softly.  
  
Tobias replied with a babyish gurgle, then closed his eyes and comfortably nestled into his father's arms. Within a few moments, he was asleep.  
  
Luke would have held him longer, but he did not want Mara to see him being kind and sweet. He gently put Tobias back in the crib, and softly stroked Beru's cheek before leaving the room. 


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo: Admitting

== Chapter Twenty-Two ==  
  
A couple of hours after Tobias and Beru came home, Leia came over again, by herself, to see them. She stayed for only a few minutes, despite Padme's attempts to make her stay longer. Darth Vader and Luke were in the gym, so she once again managed to avoid them.  
  
That night, Padmé entered her and Vader's bedroom, and smiled when she saw him holding Isabelle. She went over to the couch and sat next to them.  
  
"I love you," she said to Vader, resting her head against his shoulder.  
  
Isabelle made a small, babyish pout.  
  
"And I love you, too," Padmé added, tickling her chin. She sighed and kissed Vader's cheek. "I wish Leia wouldn't try to avoid you and Luke."  
  
"She knows she cannot hide from us forever," Vader replied. "Just be patient, Padmé."  
  
"I'm trying. Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are you and Luke going to train Tara?"  
  
"Yes," Vader said again. "One of us will."  
  
"But what if she doesn't want to do it?" asked Padmé.  
  
"She does. It does not seem like it because she is afraid of us," Vader replied.  
  
Isabelle had fallen asleep now. Padmé gently took her from Vader and went to put her in her crib. When she came back, she sat next to Vader again and hugged him.  
  
"Were you happy when I told you I was pregnant? The first time?" she asked softly. She actually should have asked if Anakin was happy.  
  
"Yes, I was," Vader answered. "When I sensed that you were pregnant, even before you told me yourself, I was already planning to leave the Jedi."  
  
That surprised Padmé, along with the fact that he was using the word "I" and not "Anakin."  
  
"Why?" she asked. "That was your dream since you were little, even before you met me."  
  
"Having you was more important, though."  
  
"And you always have had me. Why did you leave?"  
  
"You hid from me," said Vader.  
  
"I was hiding from Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi, and the Emperor," Padmé replied. "I was always trying to keep in touch with you, especially after I found out that I was pregnant with Tara."  
  
Vader pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "I know. I am sorry."  
  
"I cannot believe we are having this conversation. Am I dreaming all of this?"  
  
"Perhaps we both are."  
  
"I hope not," Padmé said. Then she added, "Anakin."  
  
She waited for Vader to hit her, but he did not. 


	23. Chapter TwentyThree: I Don't Believe It

== Chapter Twenty-Three ==  
  
Downstairs, in their room, Luke and Mara were not sleeping either. Tobias had started crying. While Mara fed him, Luke picked up Beru. He had not held her since she came home. Mara was touched, seeing Beru snuggle into her father's arms and fall asleep again.  
  
"She looks just like you," Luke said to Mara, in a surprisingly kind tone, as he sat next to her.  
  
Mara smiled. "She has your eyes, though."  
  
"In a few days," Luke asked, "would you like to take them to your parents' house?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Mara stared at him. "Why would you let me do that?"  
  
"Because I want your family to see them, and see you again," answered Luke.  
  
"Have you been doing drugs?" asked Mara.  
  
"No." Luke kissed the top of her head, then looked down at Beru. "I am just different."  
  
Mara still did not believe him. "Is this a trick or something? Are you going to beat me up later?"  
  
"No, sweetheart," Luke assured her. "And I am sorry that I have ever hit you before."  
  
Mara stood and carefully put Tobias back into the crib, then took Beru from Luke.  
  
"I want to believe you," she said.  
  
"I understand if you don't. I will give you as much time as you need to believe me," Luke replied, putting his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Mara asked, setting Beru inside the crib next to her brother.  
  
Luke pulled her close, sliding his arms around her waist. "Because my father and I feel that we are still serving the Emperor, even though he is dead, by continuing his Empire."  
  
"So he agrees with you?"  
  
"He is the one who said that to me."  
  
Mara sighed, looking down at the sleeping twins. "I hope that this is real."  
  
"It is. I promise," Luke said. "As I said, I will give you as much time as you need to believe me."  
  
----------  
  
The next morning, Luke let Mara call her parents. They had thought she was either dead or had run away - there was not much better explanation. Mara's mother could hardly believe that she had married Luke Skywalker and lived with him and Darth Vader's family, and she nearly fainted when she found out that she was a grandmother now.  
  
Tara was brushing her hair when Luke came into her room, using the door that connected their two rooms. It seemed like the first time that door had been opened since Luke had gotten married.  
  
"Hi," she said quietly.  
  
Luke hugged her. "Good morning."  
  
"Are Mom and Dad awake yet?"  
  
"They went to Mom's parent's house, and took Isabelle with them."  
  
"Why did they go there?" asked Tara, slightly confused.  
  
"Because her parents haven't seen Isabelle yet," said Luke.  
  
Tara moved away from him. "You're acting strange."  
  
"Because I've changed."  
  
"Right. I'm going to see my niece and nephew, if it's okay with you."  
  
"It's fine. Mara's already awake," Luke said, following her to the door.  
  
Tara briefly thought about the few days that she and her older brother had spent together, when Darth Vader had temporarily let him go - as long as Tara stayed with him - before Luke returned to talk to his father. That had been when her idea of them killing the Emperor, before trying to bring Anakin back, had failed, because Luke had suddenly decided to turn.  
  
Those had been a fun few days; Tara wished she had enjoyed them more instead of being apprehensive and worried most of the time.  
  
"Good morning," Mara said when Tara and Luke came into the room. She was feeding Tobias. Beru was in the crib, asleep.  
  
"Can I hold her?" Tara asked, looking into the crib.  
  
"Sure. She just ate, and I don't think she's going to throw up," answered Mara.  
  
Tara carefully picked up Beru. She thought that her niece was beautiful, even if she was a little small from being born early.  
  
"So, what has Luke been smoking?" Tara asked Mara. She did not worry about Luke hitting her while she was holding the baby.  
  
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," answered Mara.  
  
"I am different now. So is our father," said Luke, looking at Tara.  
  
"I'll believe that when I see it," she replied. "Or maybe not." 


	24. Chapter TwentyFour: Back Again

== Chapter Twenty-Four ==  
  
After Tara went back to her room, Mara put Tobias back into the crib. Beru continued sleeping. Mara sighed, looking tired. Both of the twins had started crying at almost four o' clock in the morning, and she had not been able to go back to sleep after then.  
  
"Why don't you rest?" Luke suggested.  
  
"I want to talk to you," Mara said.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Why are you being so nice to Tara and I?"  
  
"I told you," Luke answered, "my father and I have changed."  
  
"Why?" asked Mara. "You didn't change when Isabelle was born, or when I had a miscarriage and the twins could have died. Why did you suddenly decide to be good?"  
  
"I told you," Luke said again. "My father and I discussed it. We do not want to serve the Empire any longer."  
  
"It's your Empire!"  
  
"And it will be much different than it has been so far."  
  
"Don't say that. Do what you say you are going to do."  
  
"We will begin doing that next time we return to the Star Destroyer," Luke said.  
  
Mara sighed again. "Luke, it's not just that. If you really are good and light again, and you aren't just tricking me for some reason, then..."  
  
"...then what?" Luke asked.  
  
"Well, I don't even know you," answered Mara. "The only Luke Skywalker I know is the one that scares me and hits me and took me away from my life. I never knew you when you were a Jedi, other than what Padmé and Leia and Tara tell me."  
  
Luke nodded. "I understand. But you the Luke you just talked about is the one that you love, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes. I wasn't lying when I told you that."  
  
"And I love you, too. If you have wanted me to turn back to the light, all this time, then you have wanted to be with the good me."  
  
Mara sat down on the edge of the bed. "Yes. I guess you're right."  
  
----------  
  
"Isabelle Star Jobal Skywalker," Padmé answered, carefully handing Isabelle to Ruwee.  
  
"Oh, you named her after me?" Jobal asked. "That's sweet."  
  
Padmé nodded. "And Isabelle is Vader's - I mean, Anakin's mother's middle name."  
  
She and Anakin had finally finished their long explanation of how things were different now. Jobal and Ruwee still looked nervous, as if they did not believe Anakin, but they loved their new granddaughter.  
  
"Why don't you come in? I'll make some tea," Jobal said. "We have a lot of catching up to do."  
  
----------  
  
Three Months Later   
  
After Luke and Mara had a second wedding - one that Mara's parents and sisters came to - they moved into their own house, which was right next door to Han and Leia's.  
  
The house seemed sort of empty now that only Tara, Isabelle, Anakin, and Padmé lived there. And it was somewhat quieter with only one baby's crying. Tara did not mind, though. She and her parents and Isabelle visited Leia and Luke's houses at least once a week.  
  
A New Republic was slowly and carefully forming. Leia helped Mon Mothma and other former Rebels, but only planned to do so for a couple of years. She did not want to spend too much of her life being wrapped up in politics.  
  
Luke and Mara decided to not change Tobias's first name, Vader. Darth Vader had been part of their lives, even if he had been a dark part, and Anakin had always been inside of him.  
  
- The End -

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Thank you for all of the reviews :) There might be a With You 3, but I'm not sure yet. For now, there's Remember, Returning (the first story in the We Are Family series that I just started), and Moonlight. Moonlight, for those of you who are reading it, might become a series.

- DravenStar


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